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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22426606">The Duality of Love - Heavily Revised Edition</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Capnii/pseuds/Capnii'>Capnii</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Kazukibou [17]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa 3: The End of 希望ヶ峰学園 | The End of Kibougamine Gakuen | End of Hope's Peak High School</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 18:29:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>22,985</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22426606</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Capnii/pseuds/Capnii</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After much thought, I've decided to rewrite what I assumed to be my biggest Kazukibou story. This edition has characters acting in different ways, and situations are full of more drama, manipulation, and of course despair.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Kazukibou [17]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/635120</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>There were two days in the beginning of the year which were important to Natsumi Kuzuryuu. The first would be Valentine’s Day, and then White Day exactly a month later. Valentine’s Day was meant for the girls to give gifts, when White Day was meant for the boys. Natsumi wanted nothing more than a present on White Day. However, Natsumi’s chances of receiving a present were slim to none, at least on the romantic aspect. Natsumi didn’t gift anybody on Valentine’s Day, aside from her friends. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As Natsumi finished her last class and walked to the music room for her choir club rehearsal, she honed in on girls excited of the chocolates, jewelry, future dinner dates, and the like. Natsumi’s posture slumped with every step she took. She wanted to be like those lucky girls who received something amazing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She couldn’t give up. There were plenty of boys in the school that probably hadn't noticed her yet. Perhaps choir club would be her opportunity. There was a slight chance even one of her male clubmates had a thing for her, and was waiting for her to arrive to rehearsal. There was no way she would go another White Day by herself once more</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good afternoon, Kuzuryuu,” said a club member as Natsumi walked into the room.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey!” replied Natsumi. “So did your boyfriend give you anything for White Day?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The club member nodded. “He gave me a ring.” She flashed the shiny blue ring on her finger towards Natsumi. “It’s getting really serious now! We’re gonna go out after rehearsal is done.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wow, that’s amazing! I’d love a ring like that!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did you get anything, Kuzuryuu?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kazuki gave me a box of chocolate, but he just did it ‘cause I gave him friend chocolate on Valentine’s Day.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You haven’t been here for five minutes, and you’re already talking about Naegi,” groaned another club member. “Just admit you have a crush on him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Natsumi’s laugh echoed throughout the room. “You serious?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You could have fooled us,” a boy said from across the room. “You’re pretty much attached to him. We see you wait for him in front of the school gates in the morning. You always try to have lunch with him. You’re always touching him whether it be clinging to his arm or jumping on his back.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Natsumi puffed her cheeks and looked away from the boy. “He’s a loser without me helping him get over his girl problems. He’s head-over-heels for a classmate of his. If I had a crush on him, wouldn’t you think I’d be jealous?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So let’s say Naegi asks this classmate out,” someone in the back said. “Perhaps she says yes, and the two start going out. He’s gonna want her holding his arm rather than you. More and more, he’ll push you away in favor of his girlfriend. You’re saying you wouldn’t wish that were you instead of her?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t wanna be her,” Natsumi admitted. “Being Kazuki’s girlfriend means having to kiss him.” Natsumi stuck her tongue out. “I don’t envy anyone who wants to do that. You guys really don’t understand our friendship. I’ve known Kazuki since we were little kids. Dating him would be like dating a sibling. It’s gross.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ve seen a lot of stories where childhood friends get together,” the first club member noted. “Usually there’s this random spark that makes them realize they were meant for one another. Then one of them runs to the other and cries out that they love them, and can’t live without them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Fuck, that’s cute,” mumbled Natsumi before reverting to her stern expression. “Kazuki and I aren’t like that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I believe you,” an alto singer said. “You and Naegi will be friends and nothing more. A boy with heroes for parents would never fall in love with someone like you. You’re a child of despair with Yakuza parents. He’s only friends with you because he pities you. Hell, his father, the headmaster, lets you despair lot in the school because he feels sorry for you. I bet that chocolate he bought you came from a 100 yen store. ”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Natsumi would have launched at the student if two other girls hadn’t restrained her first. “You take that back, bitch!” Natsumi screeched. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You got into this club out of pity,” they continued. “You’re a talentless scum of a human being whose parents should have been killed before they could reproduce.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m gonna fuckin’ kill you!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Go ahead. It’ll only prove my point.” The alto looked at the girls who held Natsumi. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Natsumi struggled to break free of her hold, but the girls had her gripped tight. After seconds of kicking and squirming, Natsumi gave in and stopped. She hung her head low. Her bangs covered her eyes to hide that she was beginning to cry. Without another word, Natsumi stood up and stormed out of the choir room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Natsumi couldn’t look up as she marched her way down the hall. At the time, she didn’t know where she wanted to go. She didn’t want to isolate in her dorm room, and there was no way she’d return to the choir room. Natsumi considered looking for a friend such as Mei or Kazuki, but the words of that choir-mate rang throughout her ears. She wondered if there was a chance they only spent time with her out of pity. As she turned a random corner, she kept thinking about the possibility of being all alone.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Then, as if it were fate, Natsumi bumped into somebody. Most people would apologize for their carelessness and be on their way. Natsumi was not like most people. Already angered, Natsumi spat profanities at the person, telling them it was their fault she slammed into their chest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry!” said the person. Natsumi looked up after hearing them speak. Their voice was soft, and yet stern. Sure enough the handsome voice was attached to a handsome face. He was a rather tall boy; the top of Natsumi’s head barely reached his neck. His hair was black, and looked soft to the touch. It was a little shaggy, but looked good on him. His eyes were a chocolate brown, and a chunk of his right eyebrow seemed to be missing. “I was just looking for the choir room. I just transferred here, and I thought maybe I’d join.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Almost immediately, reality crashed down on Natsumi. “Oh.” She looked behind her. “It’s not too far, but I wouldn’t waste your time on them.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How so?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They’re a bunch of elitist assholes,” grumbled Natsumi. “Trust me, I just...recently quit. If you’re not exactly like them, they’ll treat you like the scum of the earth.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s quite unfortunate. I’ll just have to find a new club to join. I’ll do that tomorrow. For today, how about we go somewhere together? Perhaps there’s a cafe nearby. Do you like smoothies?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Natsumi’s eyes widened in disbelief. “We just met.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s the least I can do after running into you. And, you know, it’d be my pleasure to treat a pretty girl like you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Natsumi could feel the heat rising to her cheeks. “Wow, you said I’m pretty.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re the prettiest girl I’ve seen so far at Hope’s Peak. So how about we go get some smoothies and get to know one another.” The boy smiled brightly at Natsumi. His teeth were as white as pearls. “Though it seems I forgot to tell you my name.” The boy stuffed his hands in his pants pockets. “My name is Takehiko Kurosawa.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m Natsumi-” Natsumi cut herself off from revealing her family name. This Takehiko seemed like a nice guy, and she would hate to have him run away from her just because she was a Kuzuryuu. Internally, Natsumi began to panic. She had to think of a new family name to give herself. She didn’t have a single moment to think; she just had to say the first name to come to mind. “Natsumi...Naegi.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Naegi, hm?” Takehiko hummed, almost as if he didn’t believe her. “Natsumi Naegi. Well, it’s nice to meet you, Naegi.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please call me Natsumi.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alright, then you’re free to call me Takehiko.” Takehiko extended his arm out to Natsumi. “Shall we get out of here?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Natsumi nodded and took his arm. “I’d love to.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Natsumi had only known Takehiko for such a short time, but as they spent their evening in a local cafe, she felt as if they’d been friends forever. Takehiko was interesting to listen to, and he was always interested in what she had to say. As of recent, Natsumi thought boys like Takehiko were only in romance stories. Yet here this supposed figure of beauty sat across from her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, you’re a third year?” Natsumi asked after taking another sip of her smoothie. “That must suck being a third-year transfer student. You don’t get to graduate with the friends you made throughout high school.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Perhaps I’ll make new friends before graduation,” Takehiko noted. “It is a shame I’ll be away from my old classmates, but perhaps Hope’s Peak will be a better opportunity for me.” Takehiko took a quick sip of his tea. “I mean, I already met the headmaster’s daughter.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Huh?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You </span>
  <em>
    <span>are</span>
  </em>
  <span> related to Makoto Naegi, the headmaster of Hope’s Peak? The one who brought hope to the world after The Tragedy?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Natsumi bit her lip. She hadn’t thought about how she chose the family name of a celebrity. Doubt began to cloud her mind once more as she wondered if Takehiko was only interested in her because she lied about her name. “I, er, there’s no relation.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m surprised,” noted Takehiko. “Naegi isn’t that common of a family name. Now that I think about it, I didn’t recall the headmaster having a daughter your age. “</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Actually, Takehiko, I, er, haven’t been truthful to you.” Natsumi placed her hands in her lap to prevent Takehiko from seeing how much she shook. “My family name isn’t Naegi. I lied because if you knew my true family name, you’d hate me right away.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That seems odd that I would hate you because of your family name.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Everyone else does.” Natsumi sighed. “I’m practically an outcast at Hope’s Peak. Peers hear my name and stare at me as if I killed their dog. I just wanted somebody to like me for who I am.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, I’ve enjoyed the time we’ve spent together already. I enjoy talking to you. I don’t think a name will change that. Please, Natsumi, what’s your real name?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Natsumi bit the inside of her lip harder. “It’s Kuzuryuu.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kuzuryuu? Like the-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Like the remnant of despair, Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu. I’m his daughter.” Natsumi sighed. “So there you go. I’m a Daughter of Despair. My father’s a Yakuza and my mother was his hitwoman. I’m the child of two murderers. It’s not like I asked to be born, okay? I’m just trying to live a normal life as a teenage girl who wants to become an idol. But everyone thinks I shouldn’t exist. They think I’ll turn to despair.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Takehiko set down his mug. He closed his eyes and folded his hands together. “I was honestly going to say your name is like the nine-headed dragon of legends. The thought of your father crossed my mind, but I thought if there could be two non-related Naegi’s, there could be non-related Kuzuryuu’s.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Natsumi sunk in her seat. “I just screwed up, didn’t I?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Takehiko opened his eyes. Natsumi couldn’t even look at him. “I don’t know everything about what happened during The Tragedy. I can’t say I know much about the Remnants of Despair. I still stand by what I said about enjoying my time with you. No family backgrounds is going to change that. I like you, Natsumi, and I want to spend more time with you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Natsumi finally had the guts to look at Takehiko in the eyes. He was staring right at her, as if he were incapable of looking away. Everything about Takehiko’s body posture told Natsumi he was serious, yet she couldn’t believe it. All her life, she wanted someone to like her for who she was. She wanted to be like the lead girls in slice of life stories, where everybody liked her. In a world where she began to wonder if there was such a thing as love stories, perhaps with Takehiko, love stories were true. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Natsumi tucked her hair behind her ear. “So does that mean you’d wanna...come here again together?”</span>
</p><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <hr/>
</blockquote><p>
  <span>Meanwhile back at Hope’s Peak, Kazuki Naegi was planning something special. In the pocket of his coat was a small foil box which contained a pair of hairclips. While the majority of students were at their club meetings, Kazuki was able to make his way to the front lockers without anyone noticing. He wanted his gift to be a surprise, after all.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kazuki counted the lockers a few times to make sure he had the right one. Lightly, Kazuki opened his targeted locker. He looked down at the street shoes inside. He barely made out the characters, “Mi-Na-Ko” written inside them.” Kazuki pulled the box out of his pocket, and placed it on the top shelf. He looked at the box for a few seconds before he silently closed the locker. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The recipient of the hairclips would be out of her club soon, Kazuki thought. He slipped out of the room and hid in a hallway corner. While he did want to remain anonymous, he wanted to see the girl’s reaction. Kazuki wondered if she would like the present, and whether or not she’d wear the hair clips. Kazuki tugged on his uniform as he waited for what felt like hours. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Finally, he heard the footsteps of dozens of students entering the area. Kazuki took a deep breath, and merged himself in with the crowd. On the outside, he was a student getting ready to go back to his dorm. However on the inside, his heart was beating so hard, it might have escaped from his chest. Kazuki walked to his own designated locker, and slowly worked on changing his shoes. Any minute now, the girl of his dreams would be opening his present. Then, like clockwork, he heard a collected gasp from the other side of the room, followed by the girl’s voice. Kazuki inched his way closer towards her. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Whoever left this didn’t leave their name,” she said. “These hairclips are beautiful....You don't think this could be a secret admirer?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They’re not so secretive if it’s obvious who they are,” said another girl. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who is it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who else but Kazuki Naegi? Have you seen the way he looks at you? What about the last time he tried talking to you? He tripped all over his words.” Kazuki felt his cheeks heat up. He had no idea his feelings were easy to read.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nah, it’s probably somebody else,” his crush muttered. “I mean, these could come from anybody.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Minako, you know it was Naegi.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It really.  could be anybody. Still, to think it might be Kazuki Naegi-” Kazuki leaned his head closer. He thought perhaps now was the moment he would hear a confession. “It’d be surprising. A guy like him liking some regular nobody girl like me?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kazuki refrained from slamming his hands on the lockers. He couldn’t believe the lovely, nice, and amazing Minako Suzuki would ever consider herself to be a regular person? How could she consider herself a nobody? Minako Suzuki was practically the class idol. She was cute, smart, and an all-around nice girl. Her smile always brought joy wherever she went. Her politeness was never taken for granted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kazuki had to say something then and now. He needed Minkao to really see who she really was. He took a deep breath, and was ready to march in front of her and her friends. As he took his first step, he was immediately pulled backward. Kazuki looked behind him and saw his friend, Mei Asahina, was the one holding onto his arm. She had a stern look on her face, and slightly shook her head in disapproval. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What?” Kazuki whispered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t rush into this,” scolded Mei. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can’t let her think she’s just some ordinary person though.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So you’re going to confess by the lockers in front of her friends? That’s not romantic. You told me you wanted to tell her when you’re alone with her. Come on, lover-boy.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But she-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry, I’ll tell her how amazing she is. I’ll get her confidence back up.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kazuki smiled wearily. “Thanks, Mei.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Natsumi felt her heart attempting to escape from her chest. She and Takehiko Kurosawa agreed to seeing each other once more. Instead of looking at one another at a cafe, the two decided on seeing a movie together. Takehiko had admitted to Natsumi that he was a bit of a movie buff, and wanted to see a recently-released film. Natsumi’s dorm was scattered with clothes. Instead of putting an outfit she liked back into her closet, she’d yank it out and it would fall to a random spot on the floor. She didn’t have time to be tidy. She still had to shower, put on makeup, put in her contacts, and then put on the outfit she would eventually pick out. It was still a little chilly in March, so Natsumi decided on a looser, dress-like shirt, but she wore a pair of pants to keep her legs heated. If she paired the outfit with some fur-lined boots and jacket. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As Natsumi showered, she pretended to talk as if Takehiko were in front of her. She rehearsed all the questions she could ask him. All Natsumi really knew about Takehiko was that he was a newly-transferred student. She had to know what his hopes and dreams were. She wanted to know what he enjoyed, like his favorite movies or books. She desired to know minute details such as his favorite color. There was nothing she wanted to know about Takehiko.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi was in the process of putting in her second contact lens when she heard the knock on her door. She shouted profanities as she attempted to quickly insert the lens in her eye. As she did, Natsumi knocked the contact lens case onto the floor. She cursed louder, though was relieved she managed to get both lenses in. She hated her glasses, and would rather die than go on a first date wearing glasses. Natsumi closed her eyes tight, took a deep breath, and made her way out of the bathroom and towards the door. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Takehiko stood on the other side. He wore a loosely buttoned-up shirt, and a pair of torn jeans. Both of them were shades of black, with red highlights. Natsumi felt Takehiko has some sort of punk vibe going on with his outfit, but at least tried to look nice. His hair was still messy, but not even the best hair styling product could save his mop. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Natsumi, hi,” said Takehiko. “You look cute.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi blushed immediately. “You look pretty cool, Takehiko.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Shall we get going? We wanna get good seats for this movie.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi nodded, and rushed over to Takehiko’s side. “What movie is it?” she asked after she closed the door to her dorm. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s a history movie,” Takehiko replied. “It’s not a documentary, but its story is based on true events.” Takehiko smiled. “You see I’m kind of a history buff.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, wait a minute! You say you’re a history buff, and yet yesterday you said you barely knew about the Tragedy?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It happened a bit too soon for my tastes.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It happened before we were born.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I like ancient history. I should have been more specific.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“So is this what the movie is about? Ancient history?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Takehiko nodded. “It’s fascinating to see how human life was like in ancient times. It’s even more fascinating that we’re able to investigate, transcribe, and learn from the mysteries of ancient life.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“So you like mysteries?” Natsumi smiled. “I have a friend who is really into that stuff. I bet you two would get along really well.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’d love to meet your friends one day, Natsumi.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe after the movie we could meet up with them?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That sounds like a plan. I can’t wait to introduce myself as your boyfriend.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“B-Boyfriend?” Natsumi instinctively stepped away from Takehiko. “Hold on a minute. We’ve only met yesterday, and this is technically a first date. I don’t want to be a skeptic but, boyfriend? Already?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, I’m doing it again,” sighed Takehiko. “I’m moving too fast.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It-It’s not you,” stuttered Natsumi. “I mean, what I mean to say is that, I dunno, most guys aren’t really that genuine with me. For example, I had a guy ask me out, and it was a prank.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Who would do such a thing?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Honestly, I don’t even remember his name. Then there’s this person in the choir that told me all my friends hang out with me because they pity me.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Is it true though?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It can’t be!” Natsumi gritted her teeth. “I mean, I really only have two friends, but they don’t pity me. They know there’s more to me than my family background. They like me for me. I’m sure of it.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not going out with you out of pity, nor am I doing this as some elaborate prank.” Takehiko reached out for Natsumi’s hand. “I really do like you. Seeing you felt like love at first sight. Natsumi, I’m absolutely sure we were meant to be together.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi covered her blushing face with her hands. “Wow. All my life I waited for someone like you. I can’t believe you’re finally here.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m here in the flesh.” Takehiko took Natsumi by the wrist and pulled her into a hug. “Now that I’m here, I’ll never leave your side.”</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki tapped his foot impatiently. He had received a text message from Natsumi about wanting him to meet up with her. He stood in front of the school gate. His tapping increased with every second. He was supposed to be on his way to work, and he wasn’t fond of being late. Whatever Natsumi had to tell him in person, it needed to be important.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suddenly, Kazuki’s heart began to race as he heard the sound of heavy footsteps. He didn’t know where the footsteps were coming from. With each step, Kazuki felt as if time were slowing down. He couldn’t see the person responsible for the footsteps, but Kazuki feared the sound meant danger. He kept his eyes wide open as he glanced around for a person. The steps were louder now. Kazuki, despite being terrified, kept his composure. He knew not to show fear no matter what the case.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>To his right, he finally saw not one person, but two walking his way. The shorter person he recognized to be Natsumi Kuzuryuu. The second person he didn’t know. However as the two walked closer to Kazuki, the footsteps became louder again. Kazuki looked at the black-haired boy, and his stomach began to churn. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Kazuki!”</span>
  <span></span>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki snapped out of his trance after he heard Natsumi shout his name. At some point in time, the two were standing in front of him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Kazuki,” sang Natsumi, “there’s someone I’d like you to meet.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki looked over at the boy next to Natsumi. The sound of footsteps had stopped. The boy bowed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“My name is Takehiko Kurosawa.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m Kazuki Naegi.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi threw her arms around Takehiko’s shoulders. “Takehiko is my new boyfriend!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Your what?” Kazuki completely forgot about the ominous footsteps. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi stuck out her tongue. “Boyfriend. We just had a movie date, and he really wanted to meet you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki glanced at Takehiko again. “Are you from Hope’s Peak?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I just transferred here,” replied Takehiko.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you know Natsumi beforehand or…?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We met yesterday!” interrupted Natsumi. “It was love at first sight!” She sighed dreamily. “He doesn’t even care about my family background. He loves me for me.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Doesn’t it seem a bit early to call it love?” asked Kazuki. “You guys met yesterday.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Look, just because you’ve been going after the same girl for four months now, doesn’t mean you’re an expert on love. Takehiko and I know how we feel about one another.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki groaned. “I don’t have time to debate this. I got to get to work. I’ll see you later.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As soon as Kazuki was out of earshot, Natsumi scrunched her face and grumbled. “I can’t believe he thinks we’re taking things fast.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s obvious he’s jealous,” stated Takehiko. “You said it yourself. He’s had a crush on a girl for four months and hasn’t asked her out. He wants what we have, but he can’t get it himself.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I think you’re right. Stupid Kazuki.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You said he’s your best friend. Shouldn’t he be supportive of your new relationship? Seems like he doesn’t really care about you as much as you thought.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi looked away from Takehiko and frowned. “But Kazuki was always supportive of me Now he’s jealous and trying to talk you out of it? My dear Natsumi, he was just using you to get into your pants.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Kazuki would never!” gasped Natsumi. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“He probably thought he could use you as practice until he got that girl he likes.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“But Kazuki...he…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’d keep my distance from him. I think Mister Junior Detective is hiding his true feelings.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi looked down at her feet. “Oh...okay.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki sat at his desk in his mother’s private detective agency. He stared at the same page for what seemed like hours. To an untrained eye, Kazuki looked as if he were focus on a very important clue. The truth was he could not focus at all. He tried his hardest to review the known evidence, but he could barely retain any information. He knew the suspect was supposedly male, but hadn’t left any DNA evidence. The victim was...was there one victim, or was this serial murders? Kazuki looked at the information once more. How could he forget there were multiple victims? There was also a missing person report. Did that have to do with the case at hand? Kazuki held his forehead and groaned in frustration.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“If you cannot focus tonight, I’d suggest going home,” Kazuki’s mother, Kyoko, suggested. “I can tell something is bothering you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki kept his nose in the file. “Nothing is bothering me.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re as good of a liar as your father.” Kyoko took the liberty of using the side of Kazuki’s desk as her chair. “Did something happen at school today?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Mom, have you ever met someone that made your stomach churn? The minute you meet them, you feel something isn’t the way things seem?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoko nodded. “Junko Enoshima.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh. I should have known that.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you meet someone like that?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki nodded. “There was something inside me that had me feeling like he was bad news.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Kazuki, do you remember when I told you about how I can hear the reaper’s footsteps?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki nodded. “You said you heard footsteps when Enoshima was going to kill Dad.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t see her go into his room. There was just this feeling inside me that compelled me to check on him.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I heard heavy footsteps before I met him. As he walked closer to me, the footsteps were louder. I wonder if that was the reaper? Is hearing those footsteps genetic?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not sure,” admitted Kyoko. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Both mother and son turned their heads over towards the sudden sound of a phone ringing. Kyoko stood up and calmly answered the phone. Not once did she frown, smile, or even show sign of anything good or bad. Kazuki could slightly tell she was talking to his father, Makoto. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Kazuki, you need to go home now.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What? What happened?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoko crossed her arms. “There’s been an assault at Hope’s Peak, and your father would like me to investigate.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I can investigate with you!” shouted Kazuki. “If it’s just an assault, it’s not that tough to solve!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoko shook her head. “Your father doesn’t want you involved in this. He thinks you could be attacked.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“How am I supposed to be a better detective if I don’t work in the field?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Not this field. Take the rest of the day off, and stay away from Hope’s Peak until tomorrow.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>There was no way Kazuki was going to stay away from Hope’s Peak. He may not have been allowed to investigate the assault that recently happened, but that gave him the distraction he needed to get info on the new student, Takehiko Kurosawa. While police were in front of the building investigating, Kazuki could go through the back entry. Hope’s Peak was big enough, nobody would notice he was there. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He walked down the hallway until he found himself in one of the media rooms. There, Kazuki had access to any computer he wished. Kazuki decided to pick a computer located in the back corner of the room. The less visible he was, the better. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Being a detective had its perks, and so did being the headmaster’s son. With a few easy command prompts on the computer, Kazuki was face-to-screen with the school’s AI program, Alter Ego. The AI was a head that resembled a late classmate of his father’s. As the years passed, someone from the Future Foundation would change the appearance of the AI to make them look as if they aged. Alter Ego had everything a middle-aged person would have. Even though their hair was shorter, and had wrinkles on their face, Alter Ego never stopped smiling. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alter Ego wasn’t accessible to all students of Hope’s Peak. The students well versed in computers knew about the AI, though it was against the school rules to access their program. Kazuki was the exception to this rule. Makoto had given him access to Alter Ego, in case of investigation purposes.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kazuki Naegi!” exclaimed the AI. “What are you doing here? Students aren’t supposed to be in the media room at this time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s important,” Kazuki typed into the computer. “I’m in the middle of an investigation, and I need you to help me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What do you need?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kazuki’s fingers flew across the keyboard. “I need all the info you have on a student named Takehiko Kurosawa.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Searching…” Alter Ego closed their eyes for a brief moment. “Okay, I have all the information the school has on Takehiko Kurosawa. Kurosawa is a third year transfer student. His grades match that of an average student. In his previous school, Kurosawa was part of the choir club.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So he’s an average student,” muttered Kazuki. He sighed and typed, “Did he have any records of delinquency?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There is one, but it’s rather minor. One day he came to school with ear piercings, which was against school regulations.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I guess I’m going to have to do some searching on my own.” Kazuki stared at the keyboard for a few seconds. “Alter Ego, do you have anything about the assault that happened on Hope’s Peak Campus today?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not much,” admitted the AI. “The victim was a female second-year student. There’s no information on the sex of the attacker. The victim was sent to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, but a recent update states they’re going to make a full recovery.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s a relief,” sighed Kazuki. “Thank you for your help, Alter Ego.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not to snoop or anything, but I checked into your medical records, Naegi. To maintain a healthy sleep schedule, you should be in bed in about three hours.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kazuki gritted his teeth. First his parents would get on his case about his sleeping, and now his father put his latest doctor’s appointment in the school records. “I’ll do that.”</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>“You look like hell,” was the first thing Mei said to Kazuki the following day. “Did you get any sleep last night?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kazuki shook his head. “I had to get information on Kurosawa,” he grumbled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It took you all night to get the info?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kazuki bit his lip. “There has to be something bad about him. There has to be someplace I haven’t looked. Mei, I really think there’s something evil about him. He just has this....this aura that makes me feel like death is coming.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mei crossed her arms and hummed. “So you have this sixth sense or something that has you thinking that Kurosawa isn’t who he appears to be?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mei, you truly are the only one who understands me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mei rolled her eyes. “Well, you only met him once. Perhaps your intuition is wrong if you see him again?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Natsumi did invite me to go to karaoke with them,” he admitted, “but I’d rather not go alone. Mei, can you come along?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you nuts? No way I’m not going just to watch them eat each other’s faces.” Mei took her cell phone out of her jacket pocket, and began typing. “You’ll take Minako.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kazuki’s face flushed when Mei said his crush’s name. “Can’t you just come instead?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nope. You gotta face your fears one way or another. If I have to be your wingman, then I’ll do it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mei-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you realize what I’m doing for you?” she snapped. “You should be thankful that I’m trying to help you date her in the first place. She...she means a lot to me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kazuki sighed. “I’m sorry, Mei.” Kazuki walked alongside Mei over to the cafeteria for breakfast. “Have you met Kurosawa?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not yet. If he’s a bad guy like you say, I don’t ever want to-” Mei was interrupted by the sound of her phone vibrating. “That’s Minako. Oh...turns out she’s busy tonight. Dammit. Why are you going to karaoke with them anyway? You hate singing.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m just trying to be nice,” noted Kazuki. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re too nice. Just lie and say your mom put you on an important case. Heck, put yourself on one of your mom’s cases. She can’t expect you to be a third wheel for them. You don’t deserve to be a third wheel. Stand up for yourself, Kazuki.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kazuki placed his thumb to his mouth and chewed on his nail. “I suppose you’re right. I’ll think about it.”</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>“He’s not coming.” Natsumi looked down at her phone, disappointed. “An emergency came up at work.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Takehiko shook his head before he wrapped an arm around Natsumi’s waist. “I told you. I said you shouldn’t bother with Naegi.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But he always has things come up with work. It’s not his fault.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I overheard him talking to that red-headed girl, Asahina. She told him to lie about a work emergency. Both of them are bad news.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Both Kazuki and Mei though?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Takehiko nodded. “This just proves you need to stay away from Naegi, and now Asahina.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But if I do that, then I won’t have any friends…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You have me. I’m the only friend you’ll ever need. I’ll be your best friend, and,” he pulled Natsumi into a hug tight enough to prevent her from breathing, “your lover.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re really certain about that?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Takehiko placed his fingers on Natsumi’s chin. “I’ve never been more serious.” Gently, Takehiko tilted Natsumi’s head up, and he leaned in to place his lips against hers. The kiss lasted only a couple seconds, but it was enough to leave Natsumi breathless. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That was...my first real kiss,” Natsumi admitted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There will be many more to come. I love you, Natsumi.”</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>Natsumi stood in front of Kazuki’s dorm room. Her heart was pounding not from the nerves of confronting her friend, but from Takehiko’s kiss from earlier. She wanted to know if Kazuki was really lying to her about needing to work that night. She reached out to knock on the door, only to hold herself back. She didn’t know why she was so scared to talk to Kazuki all of a sudden. Never in her life had she ever doubted or feared him. She didn’t understand why now she was afraid. Natsumi took a deep breath and knocked on the door. A few seconds passed before the door opened. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The moment Kazuki looked at Natsumi, his face dropped. “Er, Natsumi,” he muttered. “Listen, about tonight…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You had work, right?” Natsumi asked. “It’s okay if you did. You gotta solve the case and catch a killer before they strike again, right?” Natsumi tried her best to smile. “I know that’s far more important than going to karaoke with Takehiko and me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think we need to talk. Kazuki sighed and moved to the side to let Natsumi into his room. “The cafeteria is closed, otherwise I’d say we go there.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Without hesitation, Natsumi walked into Kazuki’s dorm. “What’s going on?” she asked Kazuki. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kazuki closed the door and leaned against it. “It’s about Kurosawa. There’s just something about him that isn’t right. He just gives off this aura that makes me feel like death is coming.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I haven’t noticed anything like that before,” Natsumi noted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nobody does.” Kazuki crossed his arms and leaned further into the door. “I think it’s something that comes from my mom’s side of the family. It’s like we can hear the Reaper’s footsteps. I heard them the first time I met Kurosawa.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t understand.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Does he ever act strange in front of you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Natsumi placed her fingers on her lips as she recalled their kiss. “Of course not. Takehiko’s a good guy. Kazuki, this feeling you have, is that the real reason you cancelled on us tonight?” Kazuki did not respond, though he could not look Natsumi in the eyes. “Takehiko said he overheard you and Mei coming up with the idea of making up an excuse.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He was listening?” gasped Kazuki.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So it is true. You were lying.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Natsumi, you don’t realize how awkward it is to be a third wheel, and Kurosawa just seems-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Off?” grumbled Natsumi. “I finally found someone who loves me for me, and you and Mei can’t be happy. I know what it’s like to be a third wheel; I’ve been that way with you and Mei all the goddamn time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Natsumi-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where’s your proof that Takehiko’s a bad guy? Just ‘cause you heard some fake footsteps, you immediately think he’s some murderer? I’ll have you know, he wouldn’t consider hurting a fly!” Natsumi marched over to Kazuki and shoved him away from the door. “Takehiko was right. You and Mei are bad for me.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>There had to be something that proved Takehiko’s guilt. Though what Takehiko was guilty of, Kazuki was not sure of. All he knew was that Takehiko gave off some sort of vibe that made Kazuki feel like death was coming. Perhaps his intuition was wrong, Kazuki thought. He thought about the previous evening where Natsumi yelled at him for being suspicious of Takehiko. There was a part of Kazuki that made him feel Natsumi may have been right. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Perhaps he could get some intel from Takehiko’s class, Kazuki thought. He could get the names and photographs of his classmates through his father. Kazuki could interview the students one-by-one. Finally, Kazuki could feel like a real detective. His mother wouldn’t be around to supervise him. Kazuki smiled at the thought of being on the front page of newspapers and news blogs. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Kazuki Naegi catches a serial killer</span>
  </em>
  <span>, or something akin to that. Once again, Kazuki realized he didn’t know what Takehiko was guilty of. Takehiko Kurosawa might not have been a serial killer, at least not yet. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His first two interviews did not end in Kazuki’s favor. The girl he interviewed couldn’t stop talking about how helpful Takehiko was to others. She also informed Kazuki with every question that Takehiko Kurosawa was beautiful enough to be a model. When asked if anything seemed suspicious about him, she mentioned how she didn’t understand why he would be attracted to Natsumi Kuzuryuu. The girl said to Kazuki that Takehiko talked about Natsumi at every opportunity he could. However, was there really any harm in talking about his girlfriend all the time?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The second interview came from a male in Takehiko’s class. Takehiko seemed like an everyday student, the boy stated. Sure, he seemed obsessed with Natsumi, but the boy figured he would be obsessed if he had a girlfriend like him. He saw nothing suspicious about Takehiko Kurosawa. He always paid attention in class, and could answer any question given to him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki wondered if all his interviews would result in the same answers. Everybody who knew Takehiko didn’t think ill of him. Kazuki sighed and looked at his phone to figure out which student he would question next. He made his decision, and put his phone away. He looked up to find Takehiko standing right in front of him. How long had he been standing there, Kazuki thought. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Good afternoon, Naegi,” said Takeiko. Takehiko reached out to place his hand on the wall to block Kazuki from moving forward. “I couldn’t help but hear you’ve been asking some of my classmates about me.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki bit the inside of his lip. He had only talked to a couple students about Takehiko. How did he figure Kazuki out already? Kazuki had to think of an excuse on the spot. “It’s nothing personal,” he lied. “It’s Natsumi. She’s never had a boyfriend before, and I’m her friend. I just want to make sure she won’t be hurt.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Natsumi also told me about the talk she had with you last night. You seem to ask everyone if they think I’m some criminal. Is it the way I look? What about how I talk, is that bad? Perhaps the truth is that little Kazuki Naegi is jealous of me.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I have no reason to be jealous of you,” hissed Kazuki. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t?” gasped Takehiko. “Well let’s explore the psyche of Kazuki Naegi.” Takehiko placed his palm right above Kazuki’s head. “For starters, I’m taller than you. Who doesn’t wish to be taller? I’m climbing to be one of the top students in my class. Your grades...well I’m not sure a student who falls asleep in class could be in the top ten.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“How do you know-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“How do I know about your sleeping issue? Natsumi told me. You know, she talks about you a lot, and I’m the jealous type.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Kurosawa, are you threatening me?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Takehiko shook his head. “Oh of course not. Natsumi also told me about the girl you’ve been lusting over for months now. She’s a cute little thing, isn’t she? What was her name? Suzuki? I bet with my charm, I could make her fall for me.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You have Natsumi. Why would you go after Suzuki?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Takehiko leaned closer to Kazuki. “Because I want you to stay away from Natsumi. I don’t want her to be influenced by the likes of you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki’s heart began to pound rapidly. “What the hell do you mean by the likes of you?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, Naegi!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The shouting of a girl made both Kazuki and Takehiko jump. The two turned their heads to see a rather small girl running towards them. Kazuki recognized the girl in an instant. The way her long brunette hair bounced with each step she took, and how she ran like she was a professional athlete. The girl leapt forward and grabbed Kazuki by the arm. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Suzuki,” he mumbled.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Naegi, I thought you said you’d come with me to the grocery store, remember?” Kazuki looked down at Minako, dumbfounded. Minako repeatedly tugged on his arm to get him away from Takehiko. He looked at the determination in her eyes. “Come on, Naegi, let’s go!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The lightbulb in Kazuki’s mind finally lit up after the fifth tug on his arm. Minako was definitely trying to get him away from Takehiko. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I forgot which room your club was in, and I ran into Kurosawa here,” fibbed Kazuki. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m glad I found you! You know I need a nice, strong man to help me carry all those bags of dog food!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki nodded. He took one more glance at Takehiko before Minako pulled him further and further away. Kazuki walked alongside Minako even outside the school campus. From the looks of it, she seemed to actually be taking him to the grocery store. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Suzuki, I-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That guy was giving you trouble, wasn’t he?” Minako asked. “No need to thank me for getting you out of there. We’re classmates after all.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We, we’re far away from Hope’s Peak though,” he stuttered. “I, I mean you don’t have to-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I wasn’t lying when I said I needed help carrying dog food. The bags I get are 22 kilos each. I may be able to carry one of them, but I gotta get two.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That’s right, Kazuki thought. Minako and her family were dog trainers. “You need two bags of dog food?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Minako nodded. “We’re fostering a few more dogs, so we have more mouths to feed. If you help me carry one of the bags back home, that can be your extra thank you for pulling you out of that bad situation.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki couldn’t help the blush that ran across his cheeks. “Of, of course I’d be honored, I mean I’d be happy to help you out!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“So why was that guy bugging you?” Minako asked as the two reached the store. “You looked kind of scared.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Was my face that readable?” Kazuki said out loud. “I, I mean, nah, I wasn’t scared of the likes of him. That guy was just Natsumi Kuzuryuu’s boyfriend.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, I’ve heard of him. I guess he really gets affectionate towards her in front of people. It’s a little embarrassing.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki nodded. “He thinks I’m trying to steal Natsumi away from him.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Minako stuck her tongue out. “No offense to Kuzuryuu, but I don’t think Kurosawa needs to worry about guys stealing her from him. He seems like the guy where if you look in Kuzuryuu’s direction, he’ll slash your neck.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki gasped. “You feel it too? I-I mean you think he’s bad news?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Judging from how close he was to you and was whispering things, I don’t think he’s as good as he seems to be.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki smiled. “Nobody believes me that he’s bad news.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You could always tell others what happened today. I’m sure people would believe you. Aren’t you a super amazing detective?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I-I-” Kazuki couldn’t figure out what he wanted to say to Minako. “I mean of-of course I’m a super amazing detective!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Minako smiled. Her smile could make Kazuki’s heart flutter so fast, it’d fly away. “Then you have nothing to worry about.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Suzuki, I,” Kazuki averted his gaze away from Minako. “Thank you...for helping me back there...and believing me.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Minako giggled. “It’s just what classmates should do! Oh, my house is right up here. Just drop the food bag off in the garage and you’re free to go, okay?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki didn’t want to leave Minako’s side. He wanted Minako to change her mind and ask him to come inside her home for a cup of tea or a snack. Kazuki knew he wasn’t close enough to Minako for that to happen, however. Kazuki followed Minako’s directions and placed the bag of dog food in the garage. The two said their goodbyes and Kazuki began his trek back to Hope’s Peak. Despite the dispute with Takehiko earlier, Kazuki was smiling. He was one step closer to Minako. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Content warning: There is a suggestive scene in this story that some might find uncomfortable.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Natsumi was trying to enjoy her night. She wanted to engross herself in the fantasy genre that was shoujo. Her eyes were locked on her phone as she read panel after panel of a cheesy romance webcomic. Natsumi thought about how she wanted to be like the protagonists of these comics, and now she had that opportunity. She was going to have that happily ever after that fairy tales always ended on. Takehiko was a kind and sweet boyfriend. To Natsumi, he was perfect. There wasn’t anything he could do that she’d disagree against. She pictured herself in an elegant wedding dress and Takehiko next to her in a white tuxedo. They held hands as they leaned forward to touch each other’s lips.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her fantasy was interrupted by a knock on the door. Natsumi sighed heavily as she stood up from her bed. It was ten o’clock at night. Who could even consider bothering her at this hour? Natsumi touched her face and realized she was wearing her glasses. Never in a million years would she let a random person see her in glasses. She had to switch to her contact lenses, and fast. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“In a minute!” Natsumi stuttered as she tumbled her way out of bed, and raced to her desk. She threw the glasses off her face and attempted to quickly place her contacts in her eyes. Never had she put her contacts in so fast before, and it stung her eyes like never before. That was just the pain she had to endure to keep her glasses a secret. There was another knock at the door, and Natsumi screeched, “I said in a minute, dammit!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her contacts weren’t perfectly fit in her eyes. There were areas in her vision where she couldn’t see properly, but a few blinks would surely realign them. Before there was yet another knock on the door, Natsumi leapt towards the knob and opened the door.  She looked up to see Takehiko was staring down at her. She couldn’t exactly pinpoint his expression, but he looked a little concerned. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Takehiko,” Natsumi said as she tried to catch her breath. “Shouldn’t you be in your dorm?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Takehiko walked right into Natsumi’s room. He pushed the door to her dorm closed right away. “I just needed to see you,” Takehiko replied.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But curfew is in less than an hour. You could get in trouble if you’re not back in your room by then.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then how about I not return to my room tonight?” Takehiko suggested. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’ll be in even bigger trouble if we spend the night together!” Natsumi thought she’d be jumping at the chance to spend the night with her boyfriend. For some reason, the morals her father had plastered in her head for years had crept from the depths of her mind. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is it so wrong that I want to spend the night with you? Nobody is going to know as long as we keep it a secret.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Er,” hesitated Natsumi. “I guess.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Takehiko wrapped his arms around Natsumi’s waist, and pulled her body against his. “I just can’t stand to be away from you for so long, Natsumi. You’re just so precious and dear to me.” Lightly, Takehiko kissed the top of Natsumi’s head. “Naegi is trying to separate us.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re always saying that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I saw him asking my classmates about me today. He was asking about whether or not they thought I was a suspicious person, and how I acted while I was in class. I confronted him, and he said he was going to get me expelled, and perhaps even arrested.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Natsumi nuzzled her head in Takehiko’s chest. “That doesn’t sound like him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you think I’m lying?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Natsumi hesitated once more. “No. Kazuki has been acting strange lately. He’s been saying that whenever you’re around him, he has this sense that death is approaching, or something. I don’t know, really. He would always talk about how being a detective needs coercive evidence to accuse someone of a crime.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I bet he’s letting his feelings get in the way of thinking logically. I neglected to mention something else that happened today. There was this girl with long brunette hair who approached me. She had some sort of whistle dangling around her neck.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A dog whistle?” Natsumi bit her lip. “That must have been Suzuki, the girl Kazuki has a crush on.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She asked me out.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Natsumi pulled herself out of Takehiko’s grasp. “She asked you out?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Takehiko nodded. “I guess when you find someone attractive, it can’t be helped. She confessed that she liked me, but I turned her down because I’m committed to you. It turns out, Suzuki is shallow. She said I shouldn’t waste my time with a girl whose parents were Remnants of Despair. She told me that you’d try to convert me into being Despair, or that you’d kill me. What was worse, was that she pushed her body onto mine. Her breasts...I tried to ignore them pressed against my abs. She talked about how she would let me have sex with her.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No way.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s true. Naegi must have seen what she did, and was outraged. Instead of talking to Suzuki, he must have blamed me.” Takehiko reached out for Natsumi once more, and grabbed her hips. “But don’t you worry, my queen, I love nobody else but you.” Takehiko pressed his lips onto Natsumi’s throat. Natsumi’s body stiffened in response. “Nobody is ever going to keep me away from you. I’m yours and you’re mine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Take-hiko!” Natsumi’s breath hitched as she felt Takehiko’s lips upon her neck once more. His kisses tickled for a brief moment until she felt his teeth sink into her skin. “Ouch!” she cried. “What are you doing?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, am I being too rough?” asked Takehiko. “I just can’t help myself. I just think of how Suzuki tried to take me away from you, and how she was willing to use her body to do so.” One of Takehiko’s hands slid up from Natsumi’s waist, to the bottom of her chest. His fingers were mere inches away from Natsumi’s breasts. “Your body is so much better than hers.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, stop,” Natsumi whimpered. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Takehiko kissed Natsumi’s neck once more. “Why?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Takehiko’s simple question swarmed Natsumi’s thoughts. Wasn’t this something she had wanted? Didn’t she want to be touched by the man she loved? She was in a situation many of the heroines in her stories were in. This was supposed to be her moment of intimacy where a piano would play softly in the background as she and Takehiko relished in each other’s love. Once again, she felt like her father’s moral code was rearing its head. She had no idea if this was something she really wanted. Hesitantly, Natsumi said, “It’s too soon. I mean it’s not the right moment.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It seems perfect to me.” Takehiko sighed and pulled himself away from Natsumi. “I suppose we have all night. There’s no need to rush.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For a moment, Natsumi felt as if her heart stopped. If Takehiko spent the night with her, he could attempt to touch her like that again. If Natsumi wasn’t sure about being with Takehiko now, there was no way she’d feel different in a few hours. Natsumi’s stomach began to churn at the thought of falling asleep next to him. She couldn’t do this to herself. Violently, Natsumi shook her head. “No. Go back to your dorm, Takehiko.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Natsumi, let’s talk about it, okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I said no!” Natsumi screeched. “When I say no, I mean no!” Natsumi put all her weight into her arms to push Takehiko towards the door of  her room. “Get out! I wanna be alone!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Takehiko cussed under his breath. “Okay, okay, I’m going!” Takehiko lowered his head. He opened the door, and turned his head to face Natsumi once more. “Natsumi, I-” Takehiko was interrupted by Natsumi shoving him into the hallway. She slammed the door on him, and made sure to keep her door locked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Natsumi’s heart pounded as she leaned against the door. She could hear Takehiko grumbling to himself on the other side of the door. “Fuck,” she whispered as her legs collapsed under her. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After her body regained the strength to stand up, Natsumi walked towards her cell phone. Her hands trembled when the screen unlocked and showed the webcomic she was reading. The vision she had of her and Takehiko getting married now made her sick. She closed out of the webcomic and opened up her messages. She needed to talk to somebody . </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Natsumi looked at the two most frequent contacts, Kazuki and Mei. Natsumi still believed what Takehiko said about Kazuki trying to expel him. If she talked to Kazuki, he’d for sure report Takehiko. She couldn’t talk to Mei, because no doubt she’d tell Kazuki about what happened. A few of her contacts were members of the choir club. Considering the way Natsumi had quit the club, there was no way anybody in the club would make time for her. Tears began to flow from Natsumi’s eyes. She really was alone. </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>When Natsumi’s alarm went off, she felt as if it were minutes after her incident with Takehiko. She was unable to sleep soundly all night. She gritted her teeth when she looked at her phone to see it was six in the morning. Natsumi realized at some point in time she must have fallen asleep, as she didn’t recall receiving five missed calls and fifteen text messages from Takehiko. Natsumi’s stomach began to tangle once more. All his messages were him apologizing for his behavior. He also begged for Natsumi not to end their relationship. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Natsumi knew there was no way she could attend school in her condition. It was near impossible for her to keep her eyes open. If she dared move an inch, she was sure her stomach would throw up what little was in her digestive track. Hesitantly, she hovered her finger around her parent’s phone number. She could tell her parents she was sick with the flu, and she’d get out of class that day. However Natsumi’s parents were worrywarts, and she feared they would try to visit and take care of her. She didn’t want to be seen by anybody. She wanted to live her life the way it was meant to be. She wanted to be alone. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Natsumi’s phone beeped, and a new message appeared in her inbox. Once again, the message was from Takehiko. He wished her a good morning, and apologized for the previous night’s behavior. The grip on Natsumi’s phone loosened, and it fell onto her bed and bounced onto the floor. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Takehiko is at least trying to apologize,” she mumbled. Natsumi stared at her phone that lay on the carpeted floor. There wasn’t a single amount of energy in her body to reach over and pick the phone up. She really needed to call her parents, otherwise her father would assume she was just playing hooky. Natsumi sighed, and decided calling her parents really wasn’t worth the effort. Her arm dangled loosely from the edge of her bed. She closed her eyes, and attempted to fall back  asleep. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>Kazuki’s day was suspiciously quiet. He was used to spending a few minutes studying, getting dressed, and walking over towards Natsumi’s dorm. Kazuki made it his routine to remind her to get out of bed and eat breakfast before classes would start. He had stopped giving Natsumi reminders since she started dating Takehiko. There weren’t any reasons to continue treating Natsumi like he was her caretaker. Natsumi was sixteen. Boyfriend or not, she could handle herself. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kazuki yawned as he closed the book he spent all night reading. He didn’t expect to read almost the entirety of his book, yet he couldn’t sleep at all that night. The only thing that kept his brain entertained all night was reading about the famous fictional detectives that were able to always solve impossible cases when their backs were against the wall. Kazuki wondered if the great detective minds like Sherlock or Poroit ever had endless amounts of sleepless nights. Did the real detectives like his mother and great-grandfather have the same condition as him? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kazuki’s mind began to wander towards his mother. She mentioned a while back there was an assault at Hope’s Peak Academy. She refused to let him investigate with her, all because Kazuki’s father didn’t want him involved for safety reasons. There was nothing some petty assailant could do to harm him, Kazuki thought. Perhaps the case was easily solved, and didn’t need someone such as a homicide detective to investigate. Kazuki sighed and wished he could have been on the field with his mother. She hadn’t been letting him work since she started noticing the bags under his eyes. In Kazuki’s mind, he tossed around the idea of using makeup to cover the tiredness under his eyes. He wondered if that would be enough to trick his parents into thinking he did sleep enough every night. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kazuki’s phone began to ring. He looked at the screen that gave him his own reminder that he needed to get ready for school. Without another thought, Kazuki turned the alarm off and went to change into his school uniform. He couldn’t wait until he could wear his summer uniform. The days had been hotter than usual, and yet he and the rest of the students still had a couple months to wait until they could wear short-sleeves in the classroom. Kazuki looked at himself in the mirror for a moment. He could tell he didn’t get any sleep last night, or the night before that. Sunday was approaching, so he figured he could handle a couple more days of class, and he could spend his free day sleeping. Before Kazuki left his door, he grabbed two cans of coffee and shoved them in his bag. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In the blink of an eye, Kazuki was in the school cafe. He wasn’t sure how fast he got there. He wasn’t sure that the food in front of him was actually his. The canned coffee that was almost empty was no doubtedly his. Once he was slightly alert, Kazuki looked around the cafeteria. In the groups of students eating with one another, he noticed Natsumi was absent. Takehiko wasn’t around as well. Kazuki had a sinking feeling their absences weren’t coincidental, yet for the first time, he seemed to not care. He took another sip of his coffee and decided it wasn’t worth worrying about. After all, everybody Kazuki talked to said Takehiko was a kind, amazing person. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who cares,” he mumbled to himself. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who cares about what?” asked someone who was barely in Kazuki’s earshot. “Naegi? Naegi!” Kazuki was violently shaken awake. He looked around to find the one responsible for shaking him, and found Minako Suzuki sitting next to him. “Naegi, are you okay?” Minako asked. “Your nose was in your soup.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kazuki placed his fingers to his nose to realize, indeed, it was dripping wet. “I’m fine, I’m just tired and I- what are you doing here anyway, Suzuki? You live off-campus.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, you live in the dorms, so I thought I’d come early to talk to you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Despite how exhausted Kazuki felt, his cheeks still had enough energy to burn. “You wanted to talk to me?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minako nodded. “I wanted to thank you again for helping me carry that dog food to my house. If you weren’t there to help, I would have had to make two trips to the store, and I was not feeling up for it at all.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kazuki looked away from Minako. “You only asked me to help because I was having trouble with Kurosawa.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minako rolled her eyes. “You still could have said no to helping once I got you out of there. Not many are willing to help carry a heavy bag of food.” Minako bit her lip, which seemed to be a habit of hers Kazuki noticed over time. If she bit her lip, Minako was nervous or concerned. “I haven’t seen you like this before, Naegi. Shouldn’t you go back to your dorm and rest?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kazuki shook his head. “I’m okay. School’s important anyway.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s funny coming from the guy who lets his detective mom drag him out of class.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Er.”  Kazuki hesitated. “I probably couldn’t sleep if I wanted to.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My aunt had trouble sleeping when I was little. My parents told me she had this condition where her body wouldn’t let her sleep no matter how tired she was. It’s called insomnia. Do you think maybe you have that?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kazuki shook his head. “No, I don’t.” Kazuki felt himself nodding off once more. “I choose to stay awake. There aren’t many hours in the day to study for school and be a detective. I don’t know how my mother did it back then. Maybe that’s why she was the Ultimate Detective.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Everything was different back when your mom was in school,” Minako reminded him. “I guess before The Tragedy, the school didn’t really care about attendance or grades for that matter. All that mattered was that you kept up with your talent.” Minako placed her arms on the table and rested her head in them. “Then I guess once the headmaster reopened the school, he got rid of the talent program.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He did,” confirmed Kazuki. “My dad, the headmaster, said anyone should be allowed into Hope’s Peak. He made that decision because he felt everyone deserved a bright future regardless of skill.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, we’re not judged based on our talents anymore. Hope’s Peak is a school like any other out there. Education is important, so why not take a break from being a detective?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Never!” Kazuki gasped. The mere thought of not being a detective was enough to wake him up. “I was born to be a detective!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I bet there were moments where the great Kirigiri detectives had to take a break. I mean, spending all your life working sounds kind of dull. You don’t get to experience the joys in life. You won’t be able to play fetch with a dog, or spend time with friends. You wouldn’t even have the time to tell the person you like your true feelings.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kazuki felt his hands start to shake. He didn’t know if it was due to nerves or the amount of caffeine in his body. “Suzuki, do you like someone?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minako looked over towards Kazuki and smiled. “That’s a secret. Maybe if we could hang out one day, you’d find out.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kazuki looked into his bowl of soup. “So, I mean If I, um, I ah, if I took time off work, you would want to spend time with me?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just as friends of course.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“R-Right. I would like that. I mean, I’d like to be friends with you, Suzuki.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minako’s smile widened. “I’d like to be friends too.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The rest of the world knew Kazuki wanted to be more than friends with Minako. However at that moment in time, he didn’t mind if Minako was just a friend. What really mattered to him was she was a part of his life in some way. In what seemed like a long time, Kazuki genuinely smiled. There was nobody else in the world aside from Minako and him. At least, that’s what he felt for a brief moment.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t see that Kurosawa guy anywhere.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kazuki’s smile faded as he crashed back into reality. “Natsumi isn’t around either.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Some of my friends who live here would say you and Kuzuryuu would eat breakfast together.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kazuki nodded. “Natsumi was never good at waking up early, so I took it upon myself to make sure she made it to school on time. I don’t think she liked it, though. Every morning she’d swear at me while she did her makeup, and put in her contact lenses, and-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t know Kuzuryuu wore contact lenses.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kazuki’s eyes widened once more. “Oh, god, she wanted to keep that a secret.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I won’t tell anyone.” Minako sat up from the table. “So, where is Kuzuryuu if you didn’t get her up today?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not sure,” admitted Kazuki. “I figured her amazing boyfriend would wake her up.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did you ever find anything about him?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kazuki shook his head.  “Nothing. Maybe I am being paranoid. Maybe he is a good guy.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Minako shook her head. “But what about what he said to you? He told you to stay away from Kuzuryuu.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He could just be the jealous type, like he said.” Kazuki sighed as he looked towards the entrance of the cafeteria. “Even on days I didn't wake her up, she’d at least be here by now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you worried about Kuzuryuu?” Minako asked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kazuki looked away from the door. He replied to Minako’s question with a slight nod. “She’s just gone silent.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We have enough time before class starts. Do you want to go check if she’s in her dorm? I’ll come with you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“...Yeah.” Kazuki stood up with his soup bowl in hand. “Let’s make it quick.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There wasn’t anything that kept Kazuki’s hands at bay while he walked alongside Minako back to the dormitories. There was always the chance his hands could accidentally brush against her’s. Minako said she wanted to just be friends, however, and it would be inappropriate to try and hold her hand without her wanting it. When they made it to Natsumi’s dorm, Kazuki felt a bit of relief. The pressure of walking next to Minako had suddenly vanished. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kazuki aggressively knocked on the door to Natsumi’s room. “Natsumi? It’s Kazuki, are you in there?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Kuzuryuu!” Minako exclaimed. “I’m Minako Suzuki! Naegi is really worried about you! If you’re in there, please answer the door!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two stood in silence for a few moments before Kazuki knocked on the door again. Still, there was no response. “I’ll try calling her.” Kazuki dialed Natsumi’s number as Minako placed her ear on Natsumi’s door. “Her phone is ringing, but she isn’t picking up.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m trying to hear something through the door.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The walls are soundproof. We can’t hear anything from inside her room.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What about a vibration?” Minako placed her hands on the door, and then onto the floor. “If she knows it’s us, why wouldn’t she open the door?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Maybe she’s not here,” suspected Kazuki. “We can’t stay much longer though. Class is almost starting.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I hope Kuzuryuu is okay.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kazuki looked back at his phone. The last time he heard from Natsumi felt like ages ago. This wasn’t like her. “Me too.” </span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Something suspicious was happening, and Kazuki could feel it in his bones. At the end of the day, he attempted to visit Natsumi’s dorm again. After she didn’t answer the door, he tried calling her again, only for her once again to not answer. Kazuki couldn’t figure out what had suddenly come over Natsumi. The last time he saw her, she was upset at Kazuki for thinking Takehiko was a suspicious person. In the past, Natsumi wouldn’t give Kazuki the silent treatment. Even if she tried to not talk to Kazuki, it would last a few hours before she was back texting him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki then wondered if Natsumi might have caught a cold. She was always overdramatic whenever she would feel slightly ill. If she were sleeping all day to fight off a cold,  it would make sense she wasn’t at school and wouldn’t be answering the door or her phone. However in the past, Natsumi would have at least whined to Kazuki about feeling unwell. There were countless times Kazuki would come to her dorm with a bottle of cold medicine and a thermos of miso soup. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The next day passed, and Natsumi was once again nowhere to be seen. Takehiko was noticeably absent as well. Kazuki concluded the two must be together. Perhaps they decided to take a train somewhere and skip school for the rest of the week. Kazuki deduced this was the more reasonable theory. As for her not telling him, she probably wanted to keep her trip a secret from the headmaster’s son. Either that, or Takehiko told her not to say anything. The last thing Takehiko said to him was how he didn’t want Natsumi near him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The sun was shining the next morning. Kazuki had decided to try and not worry about Natsumi as much as he had been. He knew she was capable of taking care of herself in any situation. If she decided to skip school, that was her decision, and had no impact on him. He admitted to himself without Natsumi around, perhaps he could try to approach Minako and ask her to hang out somewhere after school. As he walked through the crowd of students making their way towards the main campus building, Kazuki squinted his eyes when he managed to catch a short, blonde-haired girl amongst them. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Natsumi?” he mumbled as he tried to push his way in the crowd. “Natsumi!” he called out. The girl had stopped in her tracks and looked in Kazuki’s direction. In a blur, she was swept away in the crowd. Kazuki couldn’t find her afterwards. Kazuki was absolutely certain he had caught a glimpse of Natsumi. What puzzled Kazuki was why she would return to school on a Friday, instead of just skipping the rest of the week. Something didn’t add up, and Kazuki was determined to get to the bottom of things. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki blended back into the crowd of students. Instead of walking towards his classroom, he snuck off to the headmaster’s office. He wasn’t sure whether or not his father would be there. Kazuki had convinced himself that his father wouldn’t willingly give him Natsumi’s and Takehiko’s attendance records. So he had to press his luck Makoto wasn’t around when he made his stealthy entrance. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A smirk crossed Kazuki’s lips when he noticed his father was not in his office. He walked into the office casually and thanked the heavens that Makoto consistently forgot to lock his door whenever he was out. Kazuki took a seat in Makoto’s chair and focused on the computer in front of him. Makoto at least remembered to lock his computer, though his passwords were easy to decipher. Effortlessly, Kazuki typed “Kazuki and Hikari,” and was brought to the computer home screen. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The real hurdle Kazuki had to jump through was finding where student records were. The computer had folders upon folders of information irrelevant to his search. There didn’t seem to be a single folder labeled for student records, or general attendance records. Kazuki could feel the pressure coming onto him. In a matter of seconds, he decided to click on every folder he could in hopes he’d find the records he was looking for. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Suddenly, Kazuki heard the sound of heels clicking towards the office. He cussed under his breath and locked the computer back up. His search was meaningless, and he was going to be caught for snooping around the school’s private files. Kazuki scanned the area for a place to hide. If he went under the desk, it would work unless Makoto was the one walking into the office. He then caught the sight of a slightly opened closet door. Stuffing himself in a closet wasn’t the best way of keeping himself hidden, but he had no other option. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>In an effort to not out himself, Kazuki closed the closet door completely shut. He would have to rely only on his hearing to make his eventual escape. He could hear the office door open, and the sound of two pairs of heels hitting the floor. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You could have told me before we left home that you were coming to the school.” Kazuki nodded slightly and affirmed at least one of them was Makoto. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I wasn’t expecting a sudden breakthrough in that assault case.” Kazuki bit his lip at the sound of his mother, Kyoko. He pressed his ear against the closet door to try and hear better. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“A breakthrough? That one student, did she finally want to talk?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“She claimed her memory is still foggy, but she’d try to recall as much as she could. She said her attacker was a student, but she hadn’t seen him before. She said the student was male, and she remembered him saying something about a queen.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Is that all?” asked Makoto.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m afraid so. Still, that’s enough evidence for me to go off of. She didn’t recognize him as a student of Hope’s Peak. Around the time of her assault, had any new students transferred in?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki could hear Makoto hesitate. “Yes, a third year by the name of Kurosawa.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki’s body jerked in reaction to hearing Takehiko’s name. Unfortunately the involuntary movement had him hit his head against the closet door, which let out a rather small thunk. Kazuki cussed and prayed nobody would notice. The room was silent for an uncomfortable amount of time. His parents refused to continue their conversation, which could only mean his cover was blown.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A few more seconds passed until he heard his mother say in her monotonous tone, “Come on out, Kazuki.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki wanted to groan in response to being found out. He wasn’t even sure how Kyoko was able to figure out it was specifically him who was hiding. Kazuki tried to play it cool, and suspected if he did not reveal himself, perhaps Kyoko would have thought she was wrong. He closed his eyes and hoped for the best. His eyes reopened when Kyoko opened the closet doors wide open. She looked at him without any hint of expression. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Looks like we need to work on your stealth skills,” she noted.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki sighed in defeat, and wiggled his way out of the closet. “Sorry,” he mumbled. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Kazuki?” gasped Makoto. “What were you doing in there?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“And tell us the truth,” demanded Kyoko. “You’ve already found yourself in trouble. It’s best to not make it worse.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki hesitated. “Natsumi has been gone the past couple days, and so has her boyfriend. I just wanted to find out why. I didn’t think Dad would tell me, so I thought I’d...investigate myself.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoko looked at Makoto expectantly. She didn’t need to say anything to her husband. “N-No,” he stuttered. “I wouldn’t give him the records. He’s not on any official case.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You said something about a transfer student named Kurosawa,” Kazuki blurted out. “You think he may be the one who put that girl in the hospital. He’s Natsumi’s boyfriend! He’s the one who hasn’t been attending class these past few days! You gotta let me look into this more!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoko shook her head. “Your father, the headmaster, requested you not be involved.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“For my safety? Am I not that good of a detective to you two? When your father was the headmaster, he let you investigate the school regardless of how dangerous it was!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoko’s brows slightly furrowed. That small amount of facial movement was enough for Kazuki to know she was angry. “Headmaster,” she said firmly. “I hope your student understands the consequences of breaking into your office. I have to get going.” Kyoko’s body pivoted swiftly and without another word, she walked out of Makoto’s office. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The room was silent once again for a few moments. “Dad,” pleaded Kazuki,  “You know I wasn’t doing anything malicious.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You still were caught in my office unauthorized.” Makoto glanced at his computer. “You broke into my computer as well, didn’t you? A lot of files are open. Makoto placed a hand on his chin in thought. “You weren’t trying to leak student information, and I can’t pose you as an immediate threat. “I’ll make school attendance mandatory for you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Isn’t it for all students?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Kazuki, if you need anything from me, you can ask. I may not be able to give you what you want, but if you have a bad feeling, I can look into it. You’re concerned about Kurosawa? Your mother is going to investigate him, and I can see if he has any records from previous schools. You can trust me, okay, Kazuki?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki’s fingers curled into a fist. He bowed to his father in defeat. “Yes. I’ll trust you. I’m sorry.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Makoto smiled. “Now, you’re late for class. I’ll be your personal escort.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki’s bit his lip. If Makoto walked to class with him, it would be embarrassing. His classmates would pick up Kazuki had been sneaking around in his office, or some other reason that put him in trouble. “That’s not necessary. I promise I’ll go to class.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Makoto stood up from his desk and walked over towards Kazuki. “Your mother did ask if there would be consequences for your behavior. Maybe a walk with your dad, the </span>
  <em>
    <span>headmaster</span>
  </em>
  <span>, will be enough for you?” Makoto patted his son on the back. “Let’s get going, Kazuki.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When the final school bell rang, time was nonexistent for Kazuki. Since he wasn’t spending his time at the Kirigiri Detective Agency, he locked himself up in his room. Kazuki studied the notes he took during his classes, and when he finished studying, he went right to studying the greatest murder cases of al time. He analyzed how the culprit unintentionally left clues that proved their guilt. When he wasn’t reading, he watched videos on his laptop on murders that took place long ago. Absentmindedly, he opened a can of an energy drink and chugged it down to keep him awake. He didn’t realize it was three o’clock in the morning until he heard a knock at his door. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That can’t be right,” Kazuki mumbled to himself. “Curfew was hours ago.” Kazuki closed his laptop and made his way towards the door. As soon as Kazuki opened the door, someone had dashed their way into his room. Kazuki stood there, dumbfounded, as the person proceeded to close the door. Only when the door was locked was when Kazuki’s exhausted eyes adjusted to the figure who invaded his dorm. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Natsumi?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi’s hands were shaking as she held the door shut. Even when tired, Kazuki could point out the subtle differences in her appearance. She had nail polish that looked like it was peeling off, and she wore a rather bulky long-sleeved jacket, which contrasted her normal slim-fit attire. The biggest shock to her appearance was her pink-framed  glasses that hung on the tip of her nose. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Natsumi?” Kazuki mumbled again. “What are you...where have you been?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi let go of the door and grabbed her left wrist. “Listen, Kazuki, I’m sorry for everything.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s going on?” Kazuki exclaimed. “You were gone for a few days, and then I thought I saw you today, but I mean - you don’t call or text anyone, and Kurosawa has been gone as well! Where were you?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Shut up and let me explain!” snapped Natsumi. She took a deep breath before she continued to speak. “I’m leaving Takehiko.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Leaving?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, leaving. You know, like dumping him? Breaking up.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What happened? Last week you were talking about how Kurosawa was ‘the one’.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi took another deep breath. “Well, a few nights ago, Takehiko showed up at my dorm. He got...handsy with me, and I kind of froze. I told him no, but he kept going on. At least I had the guts to kick him out. Not many can say the same.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“But why were you gone for two days?” asked Kazuki. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t know what to do. I wasn’t sure if I was comfortable seeing him.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I called you. I knocked on your door. You were there all along? Why didn’t you answer me?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi tightened the grip on her wrist. “I needed some time to think for myself. That, and Takehiko told me about how you were investigating him. He said you threatened him whenever I wasn’t around. When you lied about having to work instead of going to karaoke with us, I was hurt. In the end I started to believe that you were only friends with me because you pitied me.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“If you feel this way, then why are you here now?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“There’s a part of me that wants to believe Takehiko was wrong about you. I don’t even know why he would try to split us up.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“He did admit to being the jealous type.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Did he really say that? I kind of feel flattered, but...no! No matter how I feel, I have to leave Takehiko no matter what! This is my final decision, and I need you to help me out.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Natsumi, I don’t think I should get involved  in any relationship drama.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. “All you gotta do is let me stay in your dorm for a little bit. I won’t be here too long, okay? I just need a few days to regain my composure, change how I look, and then I’ll take the next train out of here. I’m gonna change my name, and work so I can afford a place of my own! Oh, and nobody can know I’m here. Got it?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re running away? When you said you were leaving Kurosawa, I didn’t think you were literally leaving.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I gotta get away from Takehiko somehow. I don’t wanna dye my hair, but would I look better with brown or black hair? How short should I cut it? What kind of name should I go with? I gotta change my surname and family name. Do I look like an Ami? Maybe Haruna? I wonder if I could get away with the name Miku.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re going to change your entire identity just to get away from Kurosawa? How dangerous is he?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki could slightly notice Natsumi nibbling on her bottom lip. “I’ve mentioned changing my identity in the past, remember? I want to be a famous idol, and I can’t with my Kuzuryuu name. I just figured now was the right time to do so. As for Takehiko, he’s just been acting like a stalker.” A small, albeit fake smile curved on Natsumi’s lips. “Just don’t miss me too much, okay?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“If he’s stalking you, maybe we could get the police involved.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No!” screeched Natsumi. “The police aren’t gonna do shit! They may be friendly with your family, but Hell will freeze over before they help a Remnant’s daughter. They’d probably laugh and think I deserve whatever was coming for me.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki placed his cheek in his hand. “Speaking of your parents, why not ask them to rough Kurosawa up a little?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi shook her head. “I’m not five years-old. I’m old enough to fight my own battles...and to know when to run from battles.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki walked over towards his desk and sat in the chair. “I really don’t think running away is the solution to all of this. Honestly, I don’t want to be an accomplice to your plan.” Kazuki shook his head. “If I let you stay here, would you consider other options? Maybe  I could help you stand up to Kurosawa.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi gritted her teeth. “I should have known you wouldn’t help.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I </span>
  <em>
    <span>am</span>
  </em>
  <span> helping,” Kazuki said sternly. “What kind of friend would I be if I let you leave? You just said you don’t have enough money for rent. Do you really think I’d let you go  with the idea of you being homeless?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I said I’ll work!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What kind of work, Natsumi? The only places that’ll hire a runaway teenager are,” Kazuki gulped, “are the shady ones.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi bit her lip again. “If that’s how it’s gotta be then-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Natsumi, I’ve been to those back alleys and red light districts for investigations. What I’ve seen there are experiences I wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemies. If you were uncomfortable with Kurosawa touching you then…then you wouldn't last a minute out there. I don’t want to be called to investigate, and find your corpse on the street, or on the floor of some serial killer’s apartment, or on even the bed of a cheap love hotel! Is running away from Kurosawa worth all this?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> Natsumi lowered her head. By the way her shoulders shook, Kazuki was certain she had begun to cry. His suspicions were confirmed when she tried to argue back. “I just...I don’t know what to do. I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>scared</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Let me </span>
  <em>
    <span>help</span>
  </em>
  <span> you,” Kazuki said in a more calmer tone. “It doesn’t have to be me that helps. Let your parents help you. Let the police help. Just don’t run away from this. I’ll let you stay here as long as you need. Everything is going to be okay.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi wiped the tears from her face with her long-sleeved shirt. “Do  you promise that everything will be okay?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I promise.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“And I can really stay here? I don’t have to go back to my room?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki nodded. “All you need to do is work on standing up for yourself. You were never one to back down from a fight. What makes now so different?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi hesitated for a few seconds before replying, “Nothing.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Finally, Kazuki smiled. “We can start tomorrow. You should get some sleep.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi nodded. “Thanks, but, I just kinda realized I don’t know where I’ll be sleeping.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Use my bed. I’m not gonna let you sleep on the floor.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“But that means you’ll be sleeping on the floor.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki shrugged his shoulders. “I still have some work left to do. Besides, the floor isn’t that bad.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi shook her head as she crawled under the blankets in Kazuki’s bed. “No way. Come here,” she said as she moved over slightly and patted the empty space of bed next to her. “Lay with me.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki’s face started to heat up. “No, it’s okay.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I </span>
  <em>
    <span>want</span>
  </em>
  <span> you to lay with me,” Natsumi pouted. “It’ll be like when we were kids.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“But we’re not kids. We’ve….we’ve changed a lot since then. You know, physically?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi continued to pout. “Blah, blah, you’re a guy and I’m a girl and we can’t sleep next to one another because god forbid we rub shoulders. You sound just like my father.”  Natsumi huffed and turned her back to Kazuki. “I would really like it if you laid next to me. You’re my friend. I’m hurting, I’m scared, and I need the warmth and comfort of a friend. I don’t give two shits about you being a boy. Besides, I know you’re not attracted to me. So get the stick out of your ass and lay with me.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki sighed quietly. He couldn’t deny in his thoughts that Natsumi had a point. Natsumi was the type who craved physical touch when she was upset. He thought of the many times she would cling onto either his or Mei’s arms whenever she had a spat with the choir club, or an audition didn’t go her way. Natsumi was even more right when she stated he wasn’t attracted to her. Kazuki couldn’t deny Natsumi wasn’t pretty, but he wasn’t romantically attracted to her. To Kazuki, Natsumi was a younger sister. There really wasn’t any harm in the matter. He nodded in agreement, and left his desk to sit on his bed next to Natsumi.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Almost immediately, Natsumi wrapped herself around Kazuki as if he were a body pillow. Kazuki felt his stomach churn a little bit. Never had Natsumi, or even anybody else, had been this physically close to him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t you think this is a bit too much?” asked Kazuki.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Nah,” Natsumi mumbled as she nuzzled her face on the side of Kazuki’s abdomen. “This is exactly what I needed.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, if it’ll help you sleep.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I can already feel myself dozing off,” Natsumi noted. “Kazuki, thank you for being the best friend I could ever have.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki smiled, and gently patted Natsumi on the top of her head. “Goodnight, Natsumi.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>By the time Kazuki thought he’d get a few minutes of sleep, the sun was up and his alarm was ringing. Kazuki pulled his phone out of his pocket and quickly shut the alarm off. He looked down at his unexpected new roommate Natsumi as she shifted slightly in her sleep. Natsumi had clung onto Kazuki in her sleep, leaving Kazuki’s sleep-deprived mind to wonder if vampires in those romance novels felt like he did at that moment. He was exhausted, and yet his body refused the sleep he needed. All he could do was envy Natsumi’s ability to sleep. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He agreed to let Natsumi stay in his room until she was ready to confront Takehiko, so he figured she would not be attending class today. Kazuki wished he could have taken the day off of school, but his attendance was strictly monitored after he broke into his father’s office. Kazuki sighed heavily as he attempted to crawl out of bed. He felt Natsumi cling tightly onto his shirt. He looked back at her to see her eyes open. Her gold irises stared at him with an intensity Kazuki had never felt before. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Stay,” Natsumi demanded as if Kazuki were her pet dog. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I can’t,” admitted Kazuki. “My dad, the Headmaster, said I have to attend all my classes. I have to leave now if I want to get breakfast and make it to class on time.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“But you’re warm.” Natsumi continued to pull Kazuki’s shirt back. “Just stay with me a little longer, okay?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Natsumi, you’re going to rip a hole in my shirt. Let go, please.” Natsumi continued to whine and ask for at least five more minutes of his time. Kazuki bit his lower lip. He really wasn’t that hungry for breakfast anyway. “Okay, fine. When I do leave for class, you can’t complain, got it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Natsumi nodded and buried her face in Kazuki’s abdomen. “Yeah, yeah, I know.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Five minutes turned into ten. Ten minutes somehow became thirty. Kazuki’s second school alarm went off, and he knew he couldn’t stay in bed any longer. He made another attempt to wiggle himself out of Natsumi’s grasp, which was surprisingly easier this time around. After he got out of bed, he looked back at Natsumi, and saw she had fallen back asleep. Quickly but quietly, Kazuki changed into his school uniform in a corner he figured Natsumi couldn’t see even if she were awake. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki’s morning classes were nothing but a blur. One minute he had walked into his classroom, and the next he was being released for lunch. Kazuki looked down at his notebook. He couldn’t remember writing down notes from class, but here they were. Albeit sloppier than usual, that was indeed Kazuki’s handwriting. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A jolt of energy surged through Kazuki’s body when he felt a sudden slap on his back. He looked behind him and saw Minako, ready to slap his back again. Kazuki yelped and threw his hands up. Minako lowered her hand and laug0hed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Naegi, wake up!” Minako shouted. “It’s lunch time!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Right...lunch…” Kazuki looked at his cell phone once more. He hadn’t received any messages from Natsumi. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Have you heard from Kuzuryuu yet?” Minako asked. Kazuki looked back at Minako and spotted her trying to peep at his phone.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll tell you later,” he noted as he put his phone away. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Minako took Kazuki by the arm and pulled him out of his chair. “You look like you’re gonna get lost if I don’t help you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki nodded mindlessly as Minako took him to the cafeteria. He didn’t remember the trip to the cafeteria, or ordering a quick lunch from the school store. He came to after he saw Minako place a can of coffee in front of him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You look like you’ll need it,” Minako said. “Maybe two at the rate you’re going.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you.” Immediately, Kazuki opened the can and chugged the contents down. “It’s been a rough night.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What happened?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s Natsumi. She-” Kazuki cut himself off. He was supposed to keep Natsumi’s location a secret. Kazuki felt like he could trust Minako, but still kept quiet. There was a chance someone could have been listening. He looked around the cafeteria in case Takehiko was around. “Suzuki, do you know how to help someone in an abusive relationship?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Minako’s smile faded. “Is Kuzuryuu in trouble?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki hesitated. “I can’t give details right now. You never know who could be listening.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Minako looked down at her lap. “I’ve never thought about it before. If one of my friends told me they were being abused, I’d do everything in my power to help them.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That sounds like the right thing to do, but how would you help them?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“For sure I’d keep them away from the abuser. I’d probably try to knock out the abuser’s teeth, but I don’t think that’d be really helpful for my friend.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You sound like Natsumi, only she wouldn’t think about the consequences.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“People do crazy things for the ones they love and care for,” admitted Minako. “Besides, I wrestle big dogs almost every day! I can throw a punch!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I think situations like these would be best without violence. What about trying to confront the abuser?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That could end in violence, though,” noted Minako. “Naegi, you can trust me. Do you know where Kuzuryuu is? Is she safe?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki looked around the cafeteria once more. He and Minako were sitting at a bit of a distance from other students. Kazuki could tell Minako was concerned for Natsumi’s well-being, and it’s not like she asked where exactly Natsumi was. Kazuki felt comfortable to reply to Minako, “She’s safe.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“At least she’s safe. I can’t imagine how scared Kuzuryuu feels right now. At least I know you’re helping her out in some way.” Minako smiled, but Kazuki could tell she was forcing it. “She’s really lucky to have a friend like you by her side.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you mean that?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Minako nodded, cheering “Not to mention, you’re a detective! You can uncover the truth about Kurosawa!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What if there is nothing to uncover about him?” asked Kazuki. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“There has to be. You just said he’s been abusive towards Kuzuryuu, and nobody but us knows about it. You revealing the truth will warn others to stay away from him, so nobody has to go through what Kuzuryuu did.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe I should ask Natsumi for more information.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t force it out of her, okay? She’ll talk when she’s ready. For now, I say show her how good of a friend you are! Show her you care about her, that you </span>
  <b>want</b>
  <span> to see her overcome this dark time in her life! Show her hope!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hope, eh?” Kazuki looked down at his lap. “My dad was always the one giving hope to others. Could I do the same?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course you can. I believe in you, and I bet Kuzuryuu believes in you too. Now go give Kuzuryuu hope! “</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>--</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When Natsumi finally woke up, she felt more refreshed than she did the past few days. As long as she stayed in Kazuki’s dorm, she was safe. As long as the door was shut, nobody could hear her speak or walk across the floor. The only downside was whenever Kazuki wasn’t around. She felt that she could handle loneliness for a few hours or so, but she craved human interaction. She wanted to talk bad about Takehiko to Kazuki while the two ate junk food and bonded over past crushes, just like in the stories she read. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi looked over towards Kazuki’s desk. The surface was littered with textbooks and loose pieces of paper. Natsumi looked through the textbooks; they were about topics such as criminal justice, criminal psychology, forensics, and forensic chemistry. Above Kazuki’s desk on the wall was a corkboard full of more loose papers. Some of them were reminders of when exams were, another was one of his work schedules with his mother, and a few were discoveries he made about Takehiko. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Right, he’s a detective,” Natsumi mumbled to herself. If she were to talk to Kazuki about Takehiko, he’d use anything she said to pursue Takehiko. Natsumi knew the right thing to do was to tell everything she knew about Takehiko to Kazuki, but she couldn’t take the risk of Kazuki getting hurt. With what she knew, Natsumi felt there was a chance Kazuki would get killed. The only way to keep her and Kazuki safe was to withhold as much information as she could. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The corkboard wasn’t just full of notes Kazuki made, however. Bordering the board were a number of photographs taken over time. Natsumi first saw one of Kazuki’s family at what looked to be a festival. All four were wearing Yukatas in the photo, and judging how young Kazuki looked, the picture might have been when he just started high school. The next two photographs were of him and Mei. The most recent was a photo of them in gym uniforms. Perhaps the photo was taken during the recent sport’s festival. The second photo was of them as kids. Mei was holding a framed piece of paper with her name on it. Perhaps that was the day she was officially adopted, Natsumi thought. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi sighed when she saw the next photograph was of Minako Suzuki. Kazuki wasn’t in that photo, unlike the other ones on the board. The picture was taken during the school’s culture festival. She was smiling in the photograph, and she held her hand up with a peace sign. Natsumi admitted to herself that Minako was indeed pretty. She definitely was the type Kazuki would have a crush on. Natsumi rarely saw Minako, but when she did, Minako was always around two or more friends. She was smiling and laughing whenever the two would cross paths. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“They’d probably make a cute couple,” Natsumi muttered. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She was about to walk away from Kazuki’s desk when she noticed she skipped a couple photos on the corkboard. Her jaw almost dropped to the floor when she realized those photos were of her. The first photograph was taken back when Natsumi still lived on Jabberwock Island. It was Kazuki’s birthday, and he and his family celebrated on the island. In the photo, Natsumi was squeezing Kazuki tight. Natsumi felt slightly embarrassed that her old self was attached to Kazuki so much in the few short days they had met. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The second photograph was another photo from the culture festival. Natsumi remembered pulling Kazuki out of his classroom escape room so the two could walk around the food stands. While they were out, a member of the photography club asked them to pose. Natsumi remembered standing on her toes so she could give Kazuki bunny ears in the photo. Kazuki was smiling in the picture, as if he knew what Natsumi was up to. He looked rather amused at her antics, even though he was looking at the camera and not her. She had the same photo in her possession, but never did she look so close at it before. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi then began to think about what Takehiko had said to her about Kazuki. She remembered when Takehiko and Kazuki met, Takehiko immediately said Kazuki didn’t care for her as much as she thought, and she should keep away from Kazuki. Takehiko was persistent in making sure she and Kazuki were apart, but Natsumi assumed it was just Takehiko being jealous. Then she thought back to White Day, when she quit the choir club. One of the club members said Kazuki only spent time with her because he felt sorry for her, and that he never saw her as a real friend. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi bit the inside of her lip. Everybody was wrong about her friendship with Kazuki, and the photographs he kept of them were enough proof for her. If he only pitied her, then why would he showcase those photographs? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck them,” she hissed. “Kazuki’s the only friend I need.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Another hour passed when Natsumi felt the desire to snoop around in Kazuki’s things. She didn’t think about the huge invasion of privacy she was about to perform. To her, it was human nature to look around at his things. She already had a good look at his desk, so all there really was left to do was check his closet and drawers.  From the novels Natsumi read, she assumed everybody hid something in their sock drawer. She figured a single peek wouldn’t hurt. She slid the drawer open and at first, it looked like a drawer full of socks and underwear. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She dug through the sock section of the drawer until she clung onto a small box, which she almost dropped after noticing it was a box of condoms. Her first reaction was to think of why Kazuki would have the box in the first place. Natsumi observed the box closer and saw it had never been opened. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I guess you gotta be prepared for anything,” she muttered. She flipped the box over to see directions printed on the back, along with some drawings for guidance. “Is that what it looks like? That’s kind of gross.” Finally, Natsumi put the box back where she found it. Thankfully she did at the right time. One minute after closing the drawer, she heard the lock on the door turn. Before the door opened, Natsumi made a mad dash back towards the bed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki entered his dorm as if nothing suspicious was going on. He finally greeted Natsumi after the door was shut. “How are you doing?” Kazuki asked. “Are you feeling any better?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah! I slept much better than I was the last couple nights!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s good.” Natsumi kept her gaze towards Kazuki and hoped she didn’t look nervous around him. “Uh, I’m gonna change out of my uniform so could you maybe look at the wall or close your eyes?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi laughed. “What, you don’t want me to see you in your underwear?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Absolutely not!” Kazuki squeaked. Natsumi could see Kazuki’s face heat up. “Just turn around and close your eyes!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, fine.” Natsumi faced the wall and closed her eyes. “You know I’m gonna have to change out of these dirty clothes. What if I’m changing and you walk in on me?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki didn’t respond for about three seconds. “Then you have permission to hit me. Better yet, change when you know I’ll be gone.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you changing into anyway?” Natsumi asked. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Just my street clothes. I’m going to grab a couple things. I, er, figured tonight we could watch a couple movies or something.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi’s eyes shot wide open in excitement. Without thinking, she turned around to face Kazuki as he was changing shirts. “You mean we can have a movie night?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, and I said keep your eyes closed!” Kazuki covered his bare chest as if someone walked in on him in the shower. “I also thought I’d order takeout!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Can we get pizza? I haven’t had pizza in so long!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, I’ll get pizza, just as long as you look away while I’m changing!” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi pouted and faced her body away from Kazuki again. “Hopefully you don’t react that way when Suzuki sees you half-naked.”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
    <br/>
  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi heard Kazuki slam his closet door shut. “I-I’ll go get that pizza right away!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With a quick dash out the door, Natsumi was alone once again. She wasn’t sure how long Kazuki would take to get the movies and pizza. With how much she embarrassed him, he may have been gone all day. Natsumi collapsed backward onto Kazuki’s bed. She probably had more time to snoop in his closet. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi wasn’t sure how long time had passed. The only interesting thing in Kazuki’s closet was a handheld game. She turned the game on just to see what it was like, only to find herself hooked on playing through its levels. She was so focused on the game, she jumped straight up from the bed in shock when she heard the door open. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m back,” Kazuki announced. He had a paper bag in one hand, and two boxes of pizza in the other. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Shit!” Natsumi shouted. “You made me kill Mario.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Where did you find that?” asked Kazuki, spotting the video game in her hands. “Hikari’s been wanting me to play with her for some time now.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Er, in your closet.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You were looking in my closet?” Mortified, Kazuki set the pizzas down on his desk.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I had nothing else to do,” whined Natsumi. “You had your computer locked and all the books in your room are all detective stuff.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You could always change careers,” joked Kazuki. “It’s not too late to become a detective. Kazuki dug into the plastic bag. “I guess since you were snooping around in my stuff, I shouldn’t give you this present.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi stood straight up. “Present? You have a present for me?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki nodded. “Promise me you won’t go looking at my stuff, and you can have it.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I promise!” Natsumi stretched her arms towards Kazuki. “Gimme.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki smirked and placed the present in Kazuki’s hand. “I heard you talk about it before, and the clerk at the bookstore said it’s popular with girls.” Natsumi looked down at the present in her hands. It was a rather lengthy book with a pink cover, and a drawing of two teenagers on the front. Natsumi gasped quietly as she read the book’s title, “Hold My Hand.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“This is the drama I was obsessed about three months ago,” said Natsumi. “I knew it was based on a book, but I never had the chance to read it.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“The clerk said all the volumes written are in here, like a complete edition.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You remembered me talking about it?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki nodded. “I mean it was all you would talk about. The two characters are childhood friends who used to hold hands when they were kids, if I remember.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“And then the girl falls in love with the boy when they’re older, and she tries to get him to hold her hand again. I can’t believe you remembered that.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s what friends do. Friends remember what they like. I figured you’d want something entertaining, and the book looks kinda long. I can keep my laptop unlocked if you want to watch more movies. I tried to get as many movies as I could.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me,” whispered Natsumi. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Kurosawa didn’t give you any gifts?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, he did,” admitted Natsumi. “There were stuffed animals, jewelry, and anything I said I wanted, he got for me. I never asked you to get these things for me.” Natsumi admitted, looking up at Kazuki. She wondered if it was possible for her eyes to sparkle like in the manga she read. “Everyone was wrong about you.” Natsumi was so happy, she felt the sudden urge to throw her arms around Kazuki and plant her lips right on his cheek. Suddenly, Natsumi froze at the thought of kissing Kazuki. She couldn’t believe she actually had that desire to do so. She always said kissing him would be gross. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What was that about everybody being wrong?” Kazuki asked as he placed a DVD in his laptop, oblivious to her thoughts. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi shut her eyes tight and took a deep breath to calm herself down. “Just some classmates and members of the choir club. They all said we weren’t really friends, and you only hung around with me out of pity. Why would the son of hope willingly hang out with the daughter of despair, anyway?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“For one, you’re not the daughter of despair.” Kazuki placed a couple slices of pizza on a plate and handed it to Natsumi. “You’re Natsumi Kuzuryuu.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi took the plate from Kazuki. “Takehiko also said some bad things about you. He said you were using me.” Natsumi paused. “Like that you were going to use me as practice in case you were going all the way with Suzuki.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi noticed Kazuki’s cheeks turn a bright pink, his embarrassment contrasting with the disgust in his eyes as he nearly shouted. “Never in a million years would I do that to you!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t let you, anyway. He was trying to get me to stay away from you. I think he was jealous. Why can’t a girl and boy just be friends? Why does everything have to go towards romance? You and Mei are friends too, and nobody ever assumes you two are a couple! So why us?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki shrugged his shoulders. “I wish I knew. Maybe it’ll die down after I ask Suzuki out.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re actually gonna ask her out?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, er, probably not any time soon. She said she wants to be friends right now. We’ve been hanging out at lunch almost every day now.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi looked down at her plate. “I’m glad. You deserve someone nice.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You do too. I mean, Kurosawa was your first boyfriend, and you two moved pretty fast. Maybe next time, you’ll find someone who wants to know you better before rushing to kiss you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, Takehiko sucks. I’m definitely over him now!” Natsumi smiled confidently for a few seconds, only to go back to frowning. “You said you felt death or something whenever he was around you. What was that?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s a Kirigiri thing, I guess,” said Kazuki. “When death is coming, we can feel this sort of presence as if it’s the Grim Reaper himself. My mother said she heard the Reaper’s footsteps when Enoshima tried to kill my father.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“At least Takehiko isn’t another Enoshima. He’s just some obsessed loser with a pretty face.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yet you’re afraid to confront him?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi gulped. “He has a way with words.  Whenever he talked, I always thought he was right. I still believe some of the things he said to me.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Like what?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Like he said…” Natsumi froze as she remembered the things Takehiko told her. She remembered his views on the world and the people inhabiting it. She thought about his desires for a better world, with him and Natsumi at the top. Natsumi shook her head violently, desperate to get his words out of her head. “Can we watch a movie now? I don’t really wanna talk anymore.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki shrugged his shoulders. “Alright. You can talk when you’re ready.” He pressed play on the movie, and began to nibble on his pizza. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi said she didn’t want to talk, but she was willing to converse with Kazuki on the movies they watched. She commentated about if she found a main character attractive, or whether or not someone in the movie was being smart or stupid. She laughed at the comedies, and teared up during a tragedy. Hours passed, and Natsumi didn’t realize it. She didn’t even realize she was falling asleep. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Natsumi,” she heard. “Natsumi, you’re falling asleep.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No I’m not,” she grumbled. “The girl found a dragon in the forest.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That was thirty minutes ago. They’re on the other side of the country now.” Natsumi felt Kazuki trying to shake her awake. “You should get to bed.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Carry me,” Natsumi demanded. “Carry me like a princess to the bed.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Natsumi, just walk two steps and you’re there.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi grumbled while she stood up, took two steps, and flopped right onto Kazuki’s bed. “I’m in bed, so what’s your excuse?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not tired.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You always say you’re not tired.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll go to sleep when I’m tired.” Kazuki got up from the floor so he could sit in the chair by his desk. “I’m gonna do some reading, and when I’m tired, I’ll sleep.” </span>
  <span></span>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi turned her back towards Kazuki. “Goodnight, Kazuki.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Goodnight, Natsumi.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>After debating with myself, I decided to start writing on my phone. I'm not on my laptop as often as I used to be. Sorry this took a bit to update for those reading. I hope this chapter was worth the wait.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Did you get any sleep last night?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi looked over at Kazuki who was sitting next to his desk. His nose was buried in one of his textbooks. Instead of answering Natsumi’s question, he opted to chug down the beverage next to him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What is that drink?” Natsumi asked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki turned his chair around so he faced Natsumi, who was snuggled up in his bed. “Suzuki gave it to me. She said it’s a much healthier alternative to energy drinks. The caffeine in it is supposed to be natural, and no artificial sweeteners.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Sleep is healthier than some shirt energy drink. Natural or not, I bet that shit will still rot your insides.” Natsumi flipped the blankets off her and rolled over. She patted the empty space on the bed. “Lay with me. It’s Sunday. There’s no school, and you don’t have to work.” Natsumi smirked. “If you ask nicely, maybe I’ll pat your head and sing you a lullaby."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“If I take a day off, I’ll fall behind in my studies.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Have you seen yourself in a mirror? You look like ass.” Natsumi leapt herself out of Kazuki’s bed and marched towards him. She slapped her hands onto Kazuki’s cheeks and forced him to look right at her. “Even right now, I can see your eyes are struggling to stay open. Those bags under your eyes get darker every day. You’re not gonna get shit done if you look like this.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“But-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No excuses,” interrupted Natsumi.  “Lie down, and go the fuck to sleep!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re not going to leave me alone until I do, right?” asked Kazuki. Natsumi let go of Kazuki’s face as she nodded violently. He sighed heavily as he got up from his chair. “Alright. Fine, but you're not laying next to me. That's really something...only couples should do anyway."</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>The two of them proceeded to trade places. Kazuki laid in his bed and covered himself with blankets just up to his neck. Natsumi sat in his desk chair, and continued to play the handheld game she found not too long ago. As Natsumi played her game, softly she sang a tune she had stuck in her head for the past week. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>An hour passed, and Natsumi noticed Kazuki was still awake. His back faced towards her, but she could hear him groaning. His body shifted consistently as he tried to get comfortable in his own bed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s wrong?” asked Natsumi.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can’t fall asleep,” Kazuki replied. “As soon as I laid down, I wasn’t tired anymore.” Kazuki sat himself back up. "This isn't the first time this happened, either. On nights I want to sleep, I find myself staring at the ceiling."</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe you can’t sleep in really quiet environments. We could try a movie that will put you to sleep,” suggested Natsumi. “I still have a few dramas that might bore you to sleep. Just gimme your laptop password."</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure, I guess.” Kazuki scratched the back of his messy hair. “It’s-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Both Kazuki and Natsumi jumped at the sound of the door knocking. Both of them had rehearsed what to do in case someone had come to visit Kazuki. Natsumi sprung out of the chair and bolted her way inside Kazuki’s closet. She was small enough to squeeze through without the closet looking as if someone were in there. Kazuki took a deep breath to calm himself down before he opened the door. As soon as Kazuki was ready, he opened the door. Natsumi tried to keep her nervous breathing as quiet as she could.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mom?” Natsumi closed her eyes in relief. It was only Kazuki’s mother. “What, uh, what are you doing here?” Natsumi placed her ear close to the closet door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, you come home on Saturday nights, and when you didn’t come home, I wondered where you were.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You could have called.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your phone was off.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I guess the battery died.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Can I come in? I’m not too keen on anyone eavesdropping.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi could hear Kazuki moving in a panic. He must have been trying to keep his mother out. “No, uh, my room is really messy and I’d be embarrassed if you saw it.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I see. Listen I figured you didn’t come home last night after my recent outburst. I wanted to say I’m sorry, and I got a little carried away. I worry about you. I don’t want you to get hurt, but I understand you’re growing up. You’re just like I was when I was your age. It’s in our blood to be curious, and I can’t punish that.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, well, uh, thanks.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“There’s...also another reason why I came over. As you know, the victim in that assault case said she wanted to speak. Turns out she only wants to speak to you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Huh? Why me?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“She won’t tell us. All she says is she wants to talk to you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“O-Of course! I’ll get changed right away and I’ll meet you outside!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi could hear kazuli casually closing the bedroom door. One she heard that click, she bolted right out of the closet. It smelt too much of Kazuki on there. Kazuki raced towards her and the closet, and picked out his detective uniform from the left side. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I gotta hurry and change so I'm not making mom wait!" Kazuki exclaimed as he pulled his shirt over his head. "If I can nail this interrogation, everyone will know that I am just a good detective as my mom is!" The excitement made Kazuki forget he was changing clothes in front of a girl. When he slipped his sweat pants down, Natsumi looked away at first. Though a few couple glances over at his underwater wouldn't kill her. She wondered if the boy preferred boxers or briefs. From her couple of glances, the answer was boxers.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I thought you were going to sleep," grumbled Natsumi.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I can't sleep now! This case </span>
  <em>
    <span>needs</span>
  </em>
  <span> me! I’ve never been needed for a case before! This is my chance to be a better detective! I could improve my rank with this case!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi groaned. "You better be sleeping when you get back. Dumbass."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I will, I promise!" Kazuki now turned to face Natsumi as he adjusted the tie on his suit. “Alright. Do you think I still look like ass?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi hadn't seen that outfit on Kazuki before. What used to be a generic suit and tie had become a three piece suit. The coat was still black, but the black vest he wore had blue stripes. His undershirt changed from generic white to blue as well. To finish off the look, Kazuki pulled on a pair of black gloves. Natsumi stared in awe over how a change of clothes could completely change a person. Beforehand, Kazuki looked like any regular police detective. Now, he finally had a look to make him stand out above the rest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi felt her stomach tie up in knots. The way Kazuki looked in his new suit made her realize he wasn't a little kid anymore. Despite the obvious bags under his eyes, she thought Kazuki looked handsome, and dare she admit, attractive.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Are you okay?" asked Kazuki, which snapped Natsumi out of her trance. "You're staring at me."</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Your suit," she replied.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, you haven’t seen this outfit yet! It looks great, don’t you think?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It's…" Natsumi cut herself off to avoid any embarrassing compliments. "whatever floats your boat. Better than those rags you wore when you started out. Now, stop talking before your mom finds a way to break down the door."</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh! Right! I'll see you later, Natsumi"</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Once again, Natsumi was left alone with her thoughts. She found it strange how she could possibly consider Kazuki attractive just by a change of wardrobe. She thought about the book she was reading and how the protagonist started having feelings for her childhood friend when he began looking mature. Natsumi groaned as loud as she could before shoving her face in a pillow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm going crazy," she admitted to herself. "I broke up with my batshit insane boyfriend, hid in my best friend's dorm for a few days, and now I somehow think my best friend is handsome because he can wear a tie." Natsumi screamed into the pillow once more. "This is Stockholm Syndrome...except I willingly put myself in this room and nothing is stopping me from leaving. Or, I could just be emotional from the breakup and I see Kazuki as a rebound." Natsumi lifted her head up from the pillow. "Remember, he has the hots for one of his classmates, and he brushes off every fake pass you give him. Just the thought "</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi paused. "But he really is nice to me. He never cared that I'm the Daughter of Despair. He knows so much about me, and he always stood up for me. I always wanted a boy who could look past my family history, and-" Natsumi rapidly shook her head. "No, that's just how Kazuki is. He is like that with everyone. To him you're not...special." Natsumi felt a knot tie in her stomach. "To him, I'm probably the annoying little sister who won't let go of him. I make fun of him and I'm always relying on him to get me out of trouble." Natsumi laughed. "Never in a million years would he fall for a girl like me...or would he? What if he’s shown hints, and I never noticed?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>In an instant. Natsumi snatched her phone from Kazuki's desk. The power had been turned off to prevent her from looking at any messages Takehiko might have sent to her. Her priority though, was to check for any hints that Kazuki may have liked her more than a friend.  She tapped her toes impatiently as the phone started up. As soon as the phone was connected, a flurry of text messages displayed themselves on the screen. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>"From: Takehiko</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>I KNOW WHERE YOU ARE, MY QUEEN.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>YOU CAN'T RUN FROM YOUR FATE.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO MAKE THIS DIFFICULT. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>FINE. IGNORE ME.IF I HAVE TO START ANOTHER TRAGEDY, I CAN DO IT WITHOUT YOU. WHEN YOU SEE MY POWER YOU'LL COME BACK BEGGING TO BE WITH ME.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>GO AHEAD AND FUCK KAZUKI NAEGI. I KNOW YOUR TRUE LOVE IS ME. GIVE HIM A GOOD TIME BEFORE HE DIES.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>HIS BLOOD WILL RAIN DOWN ON HOPE'S PEAK. I'LL BRING THE WORLD BACK TO WHAT IT USED TO BE.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>I WILL DO WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE YOU MINE FOREVER. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>I LOVE YOU SO MUCH IT HURTS. I WILL DIE FOR YOU. I WILL KILL FOR YOU. I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT YOU.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Natsumi's hands shook so hard, she dropped the phone right onto the floor. Almost immediately, there was an urgent knock on the door. Natsumi jumped a foot off the ground. The knock wasn't the same one Kazuki used. Whoever on the other side was turning the locked doorknob frantically. Natsumi stayed silent the entire time to emulate an empty room. The knocking continued and was louder than before. After what felt like an eternity, it finally stopped. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>After reading those text messages, Natsumi knew it had to be Takehiko trying to break in. Natsumi’s plan had come to a fatal end. Natsumi stared at the text messages. Her hands violently shook as she thought about the world entering another apocalypse. There were so many goals she wanted to achieve in her life. She still had yet to be the famous singer. Her name wouldn't be in lights or electronic billboards. She wouldn't be able to get married, or travel the world. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Suddenly, the shaking stopped. Natsumi’s fear quickly became apathy. Even if she worked as hard as she could, never would she achieve her goals. The country either feared or hated her because of her family. Being a singer loved by all was impossible. She'd never travel the world because her family was possibly on a no-fly list. If not, travel was expensive. Marriage was out of the question. Nobody would ever fall in love with Natsumi.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But Takehiko said he loves me," she muttered out loud. "I guess I would just marry him." Despair began tugging at Natsumi's heartstrings. "He's the only one who will ever love me. The rest of the people in this world are disgusting excuses for human beings. They all deserve to die."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She took one last glance at the text message and the offer Takehiko gave her. A smirk came across her face almost naturally. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I may as well cross one thing off my bucket list."</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki had been used to hospitals by now. The building's stench of cleanliness didn't burn the inside of his nose as much anymore. On this day, he ignored any feeling of dread he could have possibly had. He walked behind his mother with his head held high. For the first time, Kazuki was needed. He would be the only one capable of solving this assault case. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His smugness vanished the minute he entered the hospital room. Though Kazuki didn't personally know the girl, he saw her occasionally when Natsumi hung out with her club. The girl was pale as a ghost, and she looked as if her life was coming to an end just out of depression.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'll leave you two alone," Kyoko noted as she left the hospital room. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For a few minutes, the only sound in the room was the heart monitor beeping. Kazuki cleared his throat and walked over to look at the girl's chart. "May I look at this?" He asked. She gave him a simple nod.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Finally Kazuki learned the girl's name. Rinko Maruyama. She was being treated for multiple stab wounds, a broken arm and sudden paralysis in the body. According to her blood tests, there was a poison found in her body. She was lucky to be alive. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You wanted to talk to me?" asked Kazuki. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rinko nodded. "I think you need to know what happened to me." Her voice was silent, though likely due to the trauma she faced. "Someone tried to kill me, and I think Natsumi Kuzuryuu is behind this."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki bit down on his lip to prevent himself from gasping. He couldn't let his friendship or feelings get in the way of this case. "Are you saying she's the one who tried to murder you?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No. It was a man who attacked me. I was heading to the dormitories when he stopped me. He moved so fast, I didn't have a chance to see his face. It all happened so fast. I barely recall what he did to me first."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So if a man attacked you, what makes you think Natsumi Kuzuryuu is involved?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That same day, she quit the choir club. I had said some nasty things to her. When I was attacked, the only thing I really remember was that man telling me that I'll never 'hurt his queen again.' Kuzuryuu must have told him what happened. He left me there to die, but someone found me after I fell unconscious."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki placed a gloved thumb to his teeth and gently bit down. Rinko's account was proof enough Takehiko was the culprit of this attempted murder. Kazuki knew Takehiko would always call Natsumi his queen, for reasons Kazuki couldn't understand. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You think he would have finished the job," Kazuki admitted. "Do you remember him saying anything else?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I don't know. Something about me not deserving of a quick death. That he wanted me to feel despair as my body slowly shut down."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Despair. Could it be…?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Naegi, catch the bastard who did this to me. The doctors say my body will heal, but the pain of what I went through will never go away. I don't even care if you have to kill him. Get him."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I-I'll catch him." Kazuki stuttered. "Thank you, Maruyama. I think I know where to go from this."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"And Naegi...for your own good, cut Natsumi Kuzuryuu out of your life. We, the whole school, know how hard you try to see the good in her. "Naegi, there are people out there who are bad. The world fell apart because of those people. Kuzuryuu isn't good. You have to realize that by now. Stop forcing yourself to be friends with her."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki hesitated to prevent himself from yelling. There was a part of him that knew Natsumi wasn't entirely a good person. She had her flaws, but so did everyone in the world. Kazuki knew people were closed-minded about Natsumi, but this was the first time someone really confronted him about her. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I think...no, that's wrong," mumbled Kazuki. "I know Natsumi isn't the easiest person to get along with. She has a temper, and can be selfish. I have seen the good side in her. I've seen when she's at her weakest. She's told me how much she wanted to get along with everyone, especially her club members.  Yet because people like you assume she's bad, she can't show that good side of her. She's defensive and angry, because she's protecting herself from getting hurt. She can't open up to others if they can't open up to her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Natsumi cares for the people she loves. Whenever someone is feeling sad, she cheers them up in a way only she can do. If that doesn’t work, she’ll try something else. She never gives up. She practiced her singing every day because she wants to be a singer who is loved by all. If you and others would let her in, you'd see that. You all assume she's bad because her parents were bad. She's been an outcast all her life, and I'm one of the few who choose to believe to see her as a human being. So, no, I won't cut her out of my life. She's my friend, and friends look out for each other no matter what."</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Are you gonna feel that way if Kuzuryuu is the mastermind behind my assault?" she asked. "Can you go on being friends with an attempted murderer? If she is guilty, then everything you said is a lie you tell yourself just to put up with her."</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki paused. He took a deep breath to calm himself down before he said. "Then I'll prove Natsumi is innocent. I'll reveal the truth." He refused to let her say anything else. He turned his back toward her and walked out of the room where his mother waited for him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>"How did it go?" asked Kyoko. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Takehiko Kurosawa is the culprit. I can't think of anyone else. I think we need to be careful apprehending him. The way he tortured her isn't normal. He poisoned her to paralyze her body so she could die a slow death. To top it off, she said he wanted her to feel despair."</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>"So, you've concluded he might be a Next Generation Despair?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm absolutely positive." </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoko nodded. "You did well in there."</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Mom, you knew it was Kurosawa for a long time now. Why was I brought here if you knew?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoko looked over at Kazuki, whose head hung low. "I already told you. Suddenly, she refused to speak to us and requested she talk to you. Her account is the most important evidence we can get."</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>"How long did you know?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"...I had my suspicions when I saw there was a transfer student who arrived just before the assault. Hope's Peak hasn't had an assault on its campus for years now. It all seemed too convenient." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki slouched his back. "No matter what I do, you're always one step ahead of me."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoko placed a hand on Kazuki's back. "It all comes with time and experience. This might not have been the day, but I await the day you're able to surpass me."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's a funny joke."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm not joking, Kazuki. If you stopped putting yourself down, you'd see what a skilled detective you are. Have more faith in yourself. You've improved so much these two years." Kyoko looked up at Kazuki and smiled. "I still remember when you were little and you'd tell everyone you were going to be better than me. Where did that confidence go?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That was before I...can we just...apprehend Kurosawa now? Before he causes any more damage?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You said it yourself, he is dangerous and could very well be a Next Gen Despair cultist. The two of us may not be enough to get him. I'll make sure the police get involved." Kyoko hesitated as she took her hand off Kazuki’s back. "What Maruyama said to you, however, can't be overlooked."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What do you mean?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Natsumi. Maruyama had a fight with Natsumi earlier that day. Later, a man that has connections to Natsumi, tried to kill her. I know she's your friend, but we can't ignore the possibility of her involvement. She could have told Kurosawa to kill her. If true, she's as guilty as he is."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Then I'll question her. I'll get the truth out of her."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kyoko looked at Kazuki eye to eye. "You can't let your friendship with her get in the way of this. You told Maruyama you’d find Natsumi innocent when you know you can’t assume someone is innocent or guilty. I know it's hard to consider your friend to be a criminal, but when given the right push, anyone can kill someone. If I let you question her, you need to put your friendship with her aside. Record everything. Call her out when she's lying. Be professional. Promise me you can do that."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki furrowed his brow, chewed the inside of his lip, and kept eye contact with his mother when he replied, "I promise."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Also, promise me you'll go to sleep when you get back to your dorm. You look like you haven’t slept in days. That’s not healthy for you. With Natsumi in your room, you can question her whenever you want. As a matter of fact, should I be concerned that you have a girl in your room?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>"How did you know?" asked Kazuki in a panic.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>"With how you refused to let me in, I assumed you had a girl over. I just guessed it was Natsumi considering how much she enjoys your company.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki covered his eyes with his hands and mumbled a few curse words. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>"We’ll talk more about this after this case is closed."</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki couldn't believe his mother was prioritizing sleep over apprehending a dangerous criminal. If he were in charge, he would have had Takehiko arrested hours, maybe even days ago. There's no way he could sleep with a potential killer on the loose.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kazuki checked his phone on the way back to his dorm. Minako had left him a message. She had stopped by his dorm earlier, but realized he wasn't there. His reply to her was how he was at work, and was ready to catch a criminal. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can’t sit and wait. I’ll get him, and I’ll show Mom I can be the detective she wants me to be.”</span>
</p>
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